DISCLAIMER: I neither own Glee nor the characters. They are the property of Ryan Murphy and FOX. This is purely for fun. Enjoy!

A/N: This chapter is dedicated to Meeshyglee, who bought me lots of wine last night while we were being posh in Times Square! Love ya, bb!

The Dreamers

Chapter Eleven: The Deal

It figured. It figured that the moment he'd found some semblance of closure in his life, someone was standing along the sidelines, waiting to take it all away from him again. It was just plain unfair, and he tried in vain to keep the annoyed and aggravated expression of his face as he felt the eyes of students and teachers alike on his tall frame. Following Rachel and the Principal down the hallway made him feel like a kid caught with his hand inside the cookie jar, embarrassed and ashamed. But the funny thing was; they hadn't really done anything! It had been way after hours, they had no proof that they'd even kissed, and they couldn't be fired for having a simple relationship anyway.

But that still couldn't stop the way his stomach anxiously rolled around in his body, churning and making him feel ill as the trio entered the spacious office. They sat down in the spare chairs in front of Bryan's desk and he had flashbacks to the few times he'd gotten in trouble in high school. Principal Figgins had always seemed like an intimidating man, but nothing compared to the steely glare of Bryan Ryan. His nerves were on high alert, and he could tell by the way that Principal Ryan was staring at them that he had something he wanted to say. He spared a glance at Rachel and she looked like she wanted to disappear; he could see her hands shaking while she placed them on her lap. All he wanted to do was reach over and give them a squeeze for encouragement, but he knew that wasn't the best of ideas. They were already in deep enough water.

As the Principal, Bryan began to speak, commanding their attention and becoming the authority figure that could possibly strip them of their jobs. He hoped Rachel still had the number for that ACLU lawyer. . .

"I heard a little rumor going around school this morning, Mr. Hudson, and Miss Berry, a rumor that intrigued me greatly." They didn't say anything, just waited for their boss to continue. "I heard that one of your students caught you two making out after your Invitationals on Saturday night in the choir room. Now, at first, I thought it was ludicrous. The two of you could barely be in the same room as each other a few weeks ago, citing your complicated history as the problem. But now, my Unreleased Sexual Tension meter is going through the roof! I'm an excellent judge at these things, you know?"

Finn and Rachel didn't know what to say, so they just nodded.

"So, in order for me to be a judge on the matter, I need to know the truth. Did you, or did you not, kiss on school property after Invitationals?"

Looking down at his tiny companion, he knew it would be better if they just came clean about it. There was no use in lying and causing more problems and gossip for them in the future. Rachel turned to meet his eyes and he could see the fear in them; the fear for their jobs and for their privacy. . .but it was the only way.

"Yes, Sir. Rachel and I kissed on Saturday night. We were being honest when we said that our history was complicated." He took a deep breath and knew what else had to be said. "But please, don't fire myself or Miss Berry. It was a harmless kiss and it will never happen on school property again. We had no idea that a student had even witnessed the kiss, we never would have done that in front of a child if we'd known." Rachel's head nodded furiously next to his and he could see Ryan contemplating his little speech. The man was actually stroking his chin, even though he had no beard, and looked at the two educators appraisingly.

"Well, I am glad you two were honest with me, that is something I rarely find when two people are trying to cover something up. May I ask you something personal?"

What did they have to lose? "Sure" They answered in unison.

"How complicated is your history?"

The two teachers shared a look. Rachel turned to their boss with a smirk on her face. "You have no idea."

"Well, Ms. Berry and Mr. Hudson, here's the rub. I can't fire you two for kissing, once, after hours when no one was around. Just because two educators wish to pursue a relationship outside of school, doesn't mean that I can fire you for it. As long as all the PDA happens off of school grounds. Is that clear?"

"Yes, sir!" Answering in unison again, they couldn't resist sharing a soft smile. They weren't going to lose their jobs! Finn went to stand up, but Principal Ryan placed a hand up and had him sit down again.

"I'm sorry, Mr. Hudson. I'm not finished yet. You might not have been fired, but you still have to face the consequences of your actions."

He sat back down with hesitance, and the anxiety started to flow through him like a poison. "What kind of consequences?"

"Well, the glee club is at the center of this debacle, being that you two are the co-directors and a member of your group was the sole witness. A club like that cannot function when it's directors are too preoccupied with the other than it's students. In the best interests of the glee club, I am going to have to ask you both to step down as it's directors."

Rachel actually let out an anguished "No!" as Finn stared at his boss in shock. Sure, they hadn't been fired, but the one thing that mattered most to him was being taken away! How could he do that to the kids! They'd been through so much after the loss of Mr. Schuester, and they had just stared to feel comfortable around their new directors. Now they had to go back to square one.

Rachel tried to beg. "But sir, what about the kids? Sectionals is barely eight weeks away, and they've been working too hard to throw it all away. No one cares about this team the way Mr. Hudson and I do!"

Ryan looked nonplussed. "I will find the club another director with just as much passion as you two, I'm sure."

"No, sir. That's not the point!" Finn rose to his feet and started to raise his voice, becoming overwhelmed with the situation. Ryan looked at him with shock and a hint of annoyance, but Finn soldiered on. "Those kids have been through so much in the little time they've been back from summer break. They had to deal with the loss of their mentor, then take on two brand new directors and still make it to Regionals. It would be heartbreaking to have to see them lose another director that they'd grown attached to. Please, Principal Ryan, for the kids."

But Principal Ryan shook his head, his mind made up. "I'm sorry, Mr. Hudson. But I cannot see the glee club functioning in an environment where two people are constantly making googly eyes at each other. Relationships between colleagues have no place in a high school environment or a glee club."

In a flash of genius, he got an idea. Sparing a glance at Rachel and the tears in her eyes, he realized that this was his only option. It broke his heart to do this, but he knew that it was better for the kids in the long run. "Then I will step down as director of the team. Let Ms. Berry take over the club herself." He could feel Rachel's eyes on him but he wouldn't break contact with Ryan, who went back to stroking his imaginary beard. "She is more than capable of running the club alone, and in that way, the kids won't have to transition to a new coach. Its a win-win." Not for him, but he didn't matter right now, all that mattered was the kids.

"Hmm. That doesn't seem like a bad idea. Ms. Berry, what do you think?" He finally turned to see the expression on Rachel's face and he wished he hadn't. There were tears in her eyes that she wouldn't let fall and she looked almost angry at him. But she turned to the Principal, and without a hint of emotion in her voice, she nodded her head and said "I think it's whats best for the children."

"Then it's settled!" Principal Ryan threw his hands in the air, exclaiming in joy for the deal that they'd arranged. Finn felt less than joyful, but he put on a brave face in front of his boss. Sparing a look at Rachel, she didn't look so happy either. "Ms. Berry, you are now the sole director of the glee club. Mr. Hudson, if you're interested in pursuing another extra-curricular activity we can arrange something if you wish."

His voice was detached as he shrugged his shoulders in nonchalance. "Um, sure. Maybe some other time." He didn't want to be the director of another club or team, he wanted to be with Rachel and the New Directions. But right now, it was the only way. He'd learned in the past that sometimes sacrifices had to be made for the better. His kids were the only thing that mattered right now.

"Alright, then. You can go. Have a great day!" His voice was so cheery, the exact opposite of the way Finn felt at the moment. But he saw Rachel stand up and he did the same, walking out of the office and into the empty hallway. Rachel was walking briskly behind him, and in a clipped tone, she strode past him and said "Follow me."

They walked down the hallways of the school, not saying anything, and Finn realized that she was leading them towards his office. The tension between the two of them was palpable, and he could tell that she was far from happy about what had transpired in the principal's office. When they'd arrived in his office, she closed the door to the hallway, then the door leading to his classroom, making sure that no one was around to eavesdrop. When she turned to look at him, he winced at the furious look on her face. Her lips were turned out in a heartbreaking pout, and the tears were still threatening to fall from her eyes.

"What the hell were you thinking, Finn?" Her anguished tone pierced him and tried his best to stay clam, but the events of the morning were catching up with him, and he was overwhelmed before he'd even taught his first class. He rubbed his face with his hands as he tried to explain. "Rachel, you know what I was thinking. The kids have been through enough this year, at least with you as their coach they have a chance at Regionals."

"But we could have worked something else out! This isn't fair!"

"I know it's not fair, Rachel, but that's life. Life isn't always fair. But I know better than anyone that you can do this. You're the only thing the glee club has left. You've got to step up now, and show them you can do it."

"Don't you understand, Finn? You're doing it again!" She looked exasperated, and he couldn't figure out the meaning of her words.

"Doing what again?" She opened her mouth to speak but nothing came out, as a single tear started to fall down her face.

"You're leaving me. You're making me do it alone, all over again." Her words were like daggers in his gut as their complicated past was revisited, once again. The shame and guilt he'd felt for leaving her was immense, and now it encompassed him while he watched Rachel crumple up into tears. Her voice sounded weak, defeated. "I don't know what to do, Finn. I can't do it without you."

"Yes, you can." His response was swift and forceful as he walked up to her, placing his hands on her arms, forcing her to look at him. What had happened to her after he'd left New York? Why didn't she think she could do it alone? "I know you can do it, Rachel. You have to do it; not only for the kids, but for me." She nodded softly, and all he wanted to do was kiss her. Kiss away the pain and the grief. Just when they'd thought they were building up some sense of normalcy, something else had to drag them back down to the beginning. But if this was going to be their second chance, he didn't want to mess it up. They were going to do things right this time. Her eyes fluttered shut, thinking that he was going to kiss the pain away, but he knew that being around Rachel was going to get them both into trouble if they couldn't control themselves like the adults they were supposed to be. He stepped back from her, and she frowned at the loss of contact. "I think it would be best if we took things slow for a little while."

Her face wrinkled in confusion, and he could see the hurt in her eyes. "What do you mean? Ryan said we couldn't be fired for having a relationship."

"And he also said no PDA on school grounds and we were just about to start making out again! In the middle of a school day! We can't do this, Rachel. Next time we could get fired, and I can't let that happen." He took a deep breath and sighed deeply, almost groaning, letting out all the frustration he felt and marveling at the turn of events from this morning. "Which is why I think we should take things slow. I want our second chance to be perfect, Rachel. I don't want to ruin what we could have by being the center of the town gossip."

"So what are we going to do?"

He tried to make his tone light, hoping it would ease up the tension that was building between the two. "Well, you're going to coach the glee club, and I'm going to teach kids how to fix cars, and maybe this Friday we can go out on a date?" He saw the smallest of smiles pull up at the corners of her mouth, and watched as some of the stress melted away from her tiny frame. Just because they couldn't see each other in school, didn't mean they couldn't meet in town as two adults on their own free time.

"Well, what about the kids? They're going to be upset that you're not their coach anymore."

"I'll swing by rehearsal after school to say goodbye. Don't worry, Rach. They'll understand." He wanted to kiss her so badly, but all he could think of was getting fired and becoming the town loser again. So instead he opened his office door to see her out, wishing that he could hold her hand or show her some sort of gesture that would prove that things were going to be okay. Instead, he fixed her a shaky smile and wished her a good day. When he closed the door behind her he collapsed onto his desk, banging his fist on the hard wood until it went numb. He let his head fall forward onto his desk in despair, allowing himself this one moment to rage about losing glee club, and feeling like his dreams would always be somewhat out of his reach, no matter how simple they were.

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It seemed like time had slowed to a crawl for the rest of the afternoon, each class dragging out longer than the last. He'd heard a ton of gossip about him and Rachel throughout the day and tried in vain to ignore it, even though sometimes he wanted to shake these kids after hearing the perverted things they wrote about them on the bathroom walls. Kids sure had their heads in the gutters these days!

Andy and Sam were the only students he had that were also in the glee club, so when they came into his class that day, they both looked more than a little worried. They'd approached him after class, wanting to know about his meeting with Ryan, but Finn refused to tell them anything. He didn't want more gossip spreading around the school before he got to talk to the whole club, so he politely told his students to wait until that afternoon's glee rehearsal. He watched with a smile as the two kids walked out of his classroom, hand-in-hand. At least his students were able to be open in their relationships. He wished he could say the same for himself.

When three o'clock rolled around he gathered his things and walked to the choir room, standing outside the rehearsal, trying to delay the inevitable. Taking a deep breath, he willed his bitter emotions away, trying to project a calm facade. It would do no good to go in there blubbering like a baby, even though he felt like it deep down. Nothing had meant more to him than being the director of glee, and now he had to give it up over a silly little kiss. It was heartbreaking, but it had to be done. He steeled himself and entered the room, Rachel already by the piano going through paperwork while the kids sat around and talked. When they noticed him, the club exploded.

"So you didn't get fired?"

"Principal Ryan looked really angry!"

"Is the club disbanded?"

"Are you two still gonna have babies?"

Placing two hands in front of him to stop the chatter, he shook his head firmly as the club settled down. "Listen up, guys, I have something really important I have to say." The club quieted and Rachel looked on with an oddly detached look to her face. He looked around at his students and his heart ached painfully in his chest. "When I started teaching here at the beginning of the year, I had no idea that I would be doing it alongside Ms. Berry, who I've known since we were your age." The students sat in rapt attention while Finn went into the details of his life he normally wouldn't have shared with his students. "I thought it would be impossible, seeing as we didn't have the best history, but we managed to work things out. Now, it seems, that even though the two of us have finally come to an understanding, we are considered unfit to be your directors. So I have stepped down from my position as co-director, and Ms. Berry is going to coach you guys solo, from now on."

The reaction was instantaneous. The kids started to yell, scream, and curse loudly. As much as Finn tried to calm them down, they were outraged. It was only when Rachel stepped forward with her booming voice that the students stopped. Finn could see some of the kids crying, which started to tear down his own barriers against the tears that were threatening to fall. "Everyone settle down! Mr. Hudson did this for you! Principal Ryan wanted us both to step down, but Mr. Hudson didn't want you all to have to go through finding a new director again. We have to respect his wishes, and support his choice. He sacrificed something great, kids, and you need to show some respect."

"But it's not fair!" Sam stood up in the middle of the class and Finn couldn't believe his eyes. She never spoke in class, ever. "You didn't even do anything wrong! You guys care about each other!"

"But we care about the team even more." Finn stepped up and stood next to Rachel, looking at his kids and the expressions of shock on their faces. "And now, Ms. Berry is all you've got. You have to take care of her, and she's going to take care of you."

"But, Mr. Hudson, we're like a family. We can't do it without you."

His voice started to break, but he couldn't care less. "You can and you will." He looked at Rachel when he said this, who looked like she needed more reassurance than the kids. "I'll still be around, guys, you know? I'll be at all your shows, and I'm around whenever you need me in the auto shop. I'll always be your number one fan." At this, he could hear Rachel try and stifle a sob, failing miserably. This was not going as well as he'd hoped. It wasn't everyday that a man like Finn Hudson was almost reduced to tears in front of his students, but it seemed like today was that day. He pinched the bridge of his nose to hide his tears and grabbed his bags. "You guys be good for Ms. Berry, and you bring the pain at Sectionals, okay?" They looked miserable as they nodded their heads, still reeling from the news. Sam rested her head on Andy's shoulder and it looked like she was crying into it while Andy's face remained a mask of stone.

He shot Rachel one last look of encouragement, sharing a small smile and started to head out of the choir room. Before he left he heard Mitchell call out his name, and he turned around to the student who had spread around his secret like wildfire. "Don't worry, Mr. Hudson. I started this mess and I'm going to fix it! You'll see!" As much as Finn wanted to believe him, he was only a sixteen year old kid, and this was the ruling of the principal. There was nothing the kid really could do, but he appreciated the gesture nonetheless. Mitchell might have been a pain in the ass, but Finn was pretty sure he just did it for the attention. He was really a good kid, once you got past the attitude.

"Thanks Mitchell. I'll see you kids around." He waved goodbye as he walked out, but stood outside of the choir room for a minute to gather his wits. When he heard the group warning up for their rehearsal without him, he had to ignore the churning in his gut that told him that this was all wrong; that he was supposed to be in that choir room with them. When he finally peeled himself away from the music hall and headed towards his car, he thought about Rachel; trying to ignore the sting of nostalgia in his heart that reminded him of New York, and leaving Rachel behind to do it alone. He was worried about her, but he had faith. If anyone could do it alone, it was her.

Right?

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Salut mes amis!

How history repeats itself! This story is far from over, kids!

Until Next Time. . . *sings* Don't Stop. . . Reviewing!

Merci Mille Fois

The Minsk