Author's Note: This one took a little bit to write, and I'm not sure if it was because so much happens or not enough happens. Or it could be just because I am fighting off a cold with no medicine and couldn't find the strength in my brain to coherently write. ... It's probably that one. Either way, it is the start of something amazing, so I hope you all enjoy it and it tides y'all over for the holiday and beyond while I try to finally write actual chapters and not just tons of word vomit. :)

Preemptive strike: I tried to send a review reply to someone and fanfic said NO, so if that thing is broken again, I just want to say how much I really do appreciate all the feedback. It constantly blows my mind, and you guys always manage to make me laugh or think or, at the very least, feel pretty awesome. So thank you and enjoy!

Rachel walked into her fourth period AP English class, taking her seat next to Kurt with a wide smile. The fashionable teen merely rolled his eyes at his friend's exuberance, ignoring her to instead doodle in the corner of his notebook that was open. They'd already been warned that today would be a note day, as the class was covering the latest book they'd read – one they were assured wouldn't just be covered in the class test but also in the state exam. They didn't have to pass the advanced placement test to pass the class, but without a three or better they wouldn't earn the college credits the class was designed to give them. And, in Rachel's mind, that meant three credit hours she could be using honing her craft and becoming famous.

"Is everything alright?" Rachel asked, knowing she couldn't have possibly done anything to annoy her friend already. They did share second period, too, but it had been a movie day since their teacher was sick. Shelby was actually the substitute teacher, and Rachel was pleased to feel nothing but indifference about that. She knew it was a long road before her and Shelby were friends – that was the only relationship Rachel felt comfortable with; she had two fathers who'd done a wonderful job at parenting and she didn't need a mother – but last night was definitely a turn in the right direction.

For maybe more than just her relationship with Shelby, too.

"Fine," Kurt answered shortly, his head resting on his propped up hand.

He never sat in such a way because of what he said it did to his hair, so Rachel knew better. "I might be able to help."

"Please," he scoffed. "You've got your own problems, trust me."

"What does that mean?" Rachel whispered, the teacher setting up her laptop to start the PowerPoint presentation. "Kurt?"

"I wasn't supposed to say anything."

Rachel smiled softly even if she could hear the pain in his voice; if she had a nickel for the number of times she'd heard Kurt start a conversation that way, she'd be rich.

"He doesn't even know I heard him probably, but … Finn was talking to Quinn last night."

"Oh." She answered, blinking just once. "What about?"

Kurt shrugged. "I only overheard him on my way to my room. Blaine said it wasn't any of my business, but we're not exactly seeing eye-to-eye lately."

Rachel pushed down whatever feelings she was having about Finn and him contacting his ex-girlfriend to instead focus on her friend. "What's going on with you and Blaine?"

"Depends on who you ask," he answered curtly, both their eyes adjusting to the darkness as the teacher cut the lights and pulled down the projector screen. "He went golfing on Saturday with some of his friends from Dalton." Rachel nodded; she remembered him mentioning that. "Apparently there was this new guy there, and he was all too obvious about his attraction for Blaine."

"Oh, Kurt …"

"Don't 'Oh, Kurt' me," he growled. "His name is Sebastian and he's … he's everything I'm not."

"How do you know?"

"He showed up at The Lima Bean yesterday when Blaine and I were there." There was so much disgust in his voice, which was strange because even when Kurt was talking about people he didn't like he rarely let on that he didn't like them with his tone. Rachel likened it to his refusal to scowl because of the wrinkles it would create. "You should have seen him. I had my arm around Blaine's and Sebastian still flirted with him."

"Well, then Sebastian is the problem," she reasoned. "Not Blaine."

"I don't know. Blaine wasn't exactly stopping it." Kurt sighed heavily, slumping even further over his notebook (the one he was still doodling in even though Rachel had moved on to trying to carrying on their hushed conversation and take notes at the same time. Luckily she had read this book for fun back in middle school). "Sebastian invited us to this gay bar and Blaine said it wasn't our scene, but I knew what he meant."

"There's a gay bar in Lima?"

"No. Just outside." Kurt shrugged. "We're going. Sebastian is making us fake IDs."

Rachel stopped taking notes, scrunching her nose a little. "I'm not so sure this is a good idea, Kurt."

"It is. I have to show Blaine that I'm not just some old fuddy duddy!" His voice was a harsh whisper, full of conviction. "I can be just as charming and suave and whatever as Sebastian."

Rachel frowned at Kurt's display of determination, hearing how much he believed in his words but seeing how much they hurt to say. He was trying to be someone he wasn't, and she'd learned the hard way that he'd never be happy doing that. They'd never be happy that way. Not just Kurt because eventually he'd resent Blaine for causing the change, but she knew Blaine didn't want the change. He'd told her just yesterday!

"I need to tell you something."

Kurt sighed at the urgency in Rachel's voice. "Proceed."

"Blaine loves you."

"Rachel," he grumbled. "I don't need a pep talk."

"No, I mean … he told me." She scooted her seat closer to his, doing her best to keep her voice low and not draw attention away from the teacher's presentation. If she had to guess, Rachel would assume the only reason she and Kurt had gotten away with talking as much as they already had was because the two of them were not just the best students in the class, but also two of the teacher's favorites. "We were talking yesterday before rehearsal and … if you'd heard what he'd said, you wouldn't think twice about his feelings for you."

He tried not to, but Kurt's face gave way to a widening smile, his cheeks coloring and his eyes sparkling. "What did he say?"

"I shouldn't tell you." And much like when Kurt had said it, the next words out of Rachel's mouth contradicted the last. "But he said he loves the fact that you aren't the type of person he'd end up with. He likes that you two are different. He said it makes you stronger together."

"Like you and Puck?" Kurt asked, his glistening smile matching the twinkle in his eyes.

"He told you?" She gasped the question as quietly as possible, her mouth gaping open after the last syllable. Blaine had promised not to say anything about what he saw. Not that he saw anything.

"No." Kurt's smile changed from playful to wicked. "You just did."

Rachel glared so deeply she knew the dark room wasn't masking her anger at all. She could see Kurt's delicate Adam's apple bob nervously, his posture straightening while he moved his seat a foot or so away from Rachel's. Maybe it was because she was comfortable enough with Kurt or because she'd spent too much time with boys in general lately, but Rachel found her fist cranking back and then flinging forward. She made contact with Kurt's slim, pasty arm, her triumphant expression meeting his flabbergasted one. And she must have won because Kurt simply grabbed his arm and rubbed the sore spot a little before the bell rang and he promised to see her later at lunch.

Much later, it seemed, because she sat next to Finn at the beginning of the lunch period with neither Kurt nor Blaine taking their usual seats across from them. All the glee kids were in line for food or spread out at different tables for whatever reason, which wasn't unusual but unwelcome this particular day. Rachel hadn't been alone with Finn all morning, and the fact that their eminent breakup was circling around in her head made her uncomfortable in such a position – a fact that made no sense since she was hoping the preemptive strike to their relationship would somehow salvage their friendship.

"You're friends with Sam, right?" Rachel nodded at Finn's question, unwrapping the sandwich her father had prepared for her earlier that morning. Both her dads always spoiled her before going on a big trip; their own lessons on not being able to buy others' love falling on deaf ears when it was them on the receiving side. "Has he said anything about the whole Mercedes thing?"

"The Mercedes thing?" Rachel questioned, unsure what topic he was referring to specifically.

"You know. Why he is trying so hard to get her back."

"He cares very deeply for Mercedes."

"It just doesn't make sense to me, is all."

"You don't know anything about their relationship, Finn," she explained lightly. "You don't know what they shared."

Finn shrugged. "You don't have to stick up for her anymore. You guys aren't even talking."

"Yes, I know, but …" She frowned. "Can't you see the beauty in their union?" She pressed, desperation in her voice. "Two people who everyone else doesn't think fit; two people whose differences make them stronger together?"

Finn stared blankly at his girlfriend for a good thirty seconds, finally responding, "Like Sharon and Ozzy Osbourne."

Rachel sighed, a smile on her face even if she died a little inside. "Finn, I can't keep doing this."

"Lunch?"

"No … us." She frowned, wishing it didn't take that much to get his full attention. She hadn't lost sleep over her conversation with Shelby, or the earlier one yesterday with Blaine; not like she had after her first discussion with Shelby last Friday. Finally, the decision felt natural. Like it was just a matter of time, and not really a decision at all. But, when was a much more delicate matter and Rachel certainly hadn't planned on the middle of the day in a room housing almost the entire school. Sure, she was definitely one for theatrics, but she'd grown past the stage in her life when she lumped personal matters under the same category as her professional ones.

"I've been doing a lot of thinking lately, Finn, and … you were right. I do know what I want. I know exactly where I want to go and I can't feel bad about it anymore. And it has nothing to do with you, which is part of the problem but also a big part of the solution." She let her hands move from the table to his knees, keeping her voice low and level. "Because even with how self-assured I am, the truth is I'm just like you, Finn. I'm confused about a lot of things, especially the future, and will probably make a ton of mistakes on the way. But, we're teenagers. That's what we are supposed to do."

Her words were running together the more she spoke. It was one of the first things she'd said without any practice or rehearsal, but she'd felt more powerful the more she said. For too long she'd been avoiding the truth, hoping something would change or there would be a sign that what she believed was wrong. But the truth was she and Finn should have never gotten back together at the end of last year. Not because they didn't love each other, but because their love wasn't enough. It wasn't enough for either of them to promise anymore than a year together, and if that's all they had to offer, then what was the point?

"We're supposed to make mistakes and call ex-girlfriends and fail tests and skip class and fall in love and …" Her throat clenched, the last part coming out as a whisper, "and fall out of love."

Finn looked shell-shocked, but not exactly heartbroken; honestly, he looked more disappointed in the fact that she'd learned about his phone call to Quinn. "You don't love me?"

"Of course I do," she rushed out, her hands moving again to grip his in between their two bodies. "But, it's not a good enough of a reason for us to stay together." She frowned a little, searching his eyes. "And you know that."

Finn nodded shyly, as if he'd been thinking the same thing for just as long as she. "We're still like, friends though, right?"

Rachel beamed at his patented goofy grin, hinging forward and releasing his hands only to wrap her arms around his neck tightly. "Of course, Finn."

Artie groaned as he rolled up to the table. "Can you two please stop?"

"Yea," Puck agreed with disgust. "Some of us are tryin' to eat."

"We'll try to keep the public displays of affection down from now on, Noah." Rachel smiled slightly, leaning away from Finn who still looked enough at ease that she didn't mind making light of the situation – a situation that just last year had rocked her to her core. "Now that we're just friends and all."

Puck stopped moving the large double bacon cheeseburger toward his mouth mid-bite, his eyes moving from Finn's to Rachel's and holding hers until she lifted one shoulder emptily. She smiled shyly at him and he couldn't help the way his smirk grew before he slyly winked at her and then shoved the food in his mouth. Rachel made some poor excuse about losing her appetite as a way of an exit, throwing away a bulk of her lunch before heading to her locker. She didn't exactly need anything for her next class, but it was clear the person standing beside the blue metal did need something from her.

"I'm not here to fight," Mercedes began after seeing the trepidation on her former friend's face. "I just wanted to talk."

"What about?"

"Everything." She shrugged. "Nothing." Both girls smiled softly, their mutual reluctance somehow lessening the tension around them. "I broke up with Shane."

Rachel's eyes widened, a million different thoughts going through her head at once. Ones like whether or not the decision was based on Sam's return, or random thoughts about today being the day for breaking up. It all led to about a minute of silence, and if Puck were there at that moment, he would have certainly made fun of Rachel. She was speechless in every sense of the word, and she was pretty sure he'd make a comment about never having seen such a thing. Frankly, Mercedes looked like she was close to saying something about it, too.

"I thought he was helping me be a better person, but he was just changing who I was." Mercedes smiled a little. "And, gurl, I like who I am."

Rachel giggled, breaking the spell. "Me too."

The two girls embraced in a long-overdue hug, squeezing tightly. Rachel wasn't going to apologize for winning the lead role in West Side Story or for calling Mercedes out when she'd made that completely irrational claim that everyone in glee kissed Rachel's butt. But Rachel was aware that she couldn't win nationals on her own, and the more diversity that was showcased in their routines, the more points they'd earn from the judges. Plus, not only did Rachel miss having Mercedes as a friend, it was also just easier for their relationship to be solid when both were so close to Kurt.

"So we're friends again?" Rachel waited for Mercedes to nod in confirmation. "Are we teammates again, too?"

"Yes." Mercedes let out one of her classic belly laughs at the relief that washed over Rachel's face. "After I calmed down a little and got over my power trip, Santana told me the plan. And, gurl, we're too good to have to cheat to win sectionals."

Rachel nodded enthusiastically, whole-heartedly agreeing. She knew the move would have ramifications on Shelby's job, as she'd briefly saw Sugar with her new boyfriend, Chad, at lunch and could see at least part of the plan was already in action. New Directions might gain a few more members, but Shelby's choir was all but finished. She could still substitute at McKinley like she had been doing, but other than that she'd need to find another job. Deep down Rachel hoped it wouldn't be with another choir, but Mercedes' faith in their talent was inspiring her so much that she knew they'd be able to handle any hand they were dealt.

"Santana and Quinn are coming back, too."

"Well you picked a good day to return." Rachel smiled coyly. "Sam apparently prepared something for his re-audition."

It had been awhile since the two girls had spent any time together, but anyone who knew Mercedes knew she was a loud personality. However, when she was quiet – like she was just then – it was either because she was plotting or because she was embarrassed. And while Rachel couldn't see the black girl blushing from the corner of her eyes, she knew that tiny smile well enough to know that Mercedes was at least flattered by Sam's attempts to win her back.

"I heard," she finally mentioned, the small smile turning more devilish as they walked toward their next classes. "Tina told me Mike and Puck are helping."

Rachel's eyes widened a little, surprised by that new information. She'd spoken to Sam about his performance – he wouldn't reveal the song choice despite her constant badgering – during their shared first period, and Puck hadn't mentioned his involvement at all. He'd actually spent much of the science class reviewing a study guide for a history test he had the next period. She considered making fun of him, but she didn't want to discourage him from studying even if it was during another class.

"That's right." Mercedes hip-checked Rachel, moving the petite brunette closer to the hallway she had to go down opposite the one where Mercedes' class was. "Don't try to make me blush when I know just how to make your cheeks go red, sista."

Rachel put her acting skills to the test, feigning confusion even if there was a hint of a smile on her face. "What are you talking about?"

"Oh, please," Mercedes scoffed, speaking even as she started walking away toward her class. "Just 'cause we haven't been talking doesn't mean Kurt hasn't been chirping in my ear this whole time about the possibilities of Puckleberry 2.0."

Rachel's eyes rose high in her head, clearly exasperated with Kurt's antics. See what she meant? Easier.