Disclaimer: Don't own a thing, blah, blah, blah.
Author's Note: I finally saw the preview for Glee for April. Squee! Even though I'm way, way confused. But, all is well. And, on a very happy personal note, I got tickets for Wicked in March, another big Squee!
ANYWAY. This chapter is, well, interesting. It focuses more on Finn/Puck, rather then any specific couple or person. One more chapter, which will be the departure of Cali. Some loose ends will be tied together and they'll all live happily ever after… hopefully! Hehe.
Thank you, Thank you, Thank you, to EVERYONE who read, reviewed, alerted, anything. You guys are really amazing and, ugh, smiles all around! Hope you enjoy and Happy Readings!
"But you were suppose to talk to her!" Finn was whining as he trailed behind Cali. The brunette gave an obnoxious noise.
"You implicated that she told you about Puck and Quinn as some grand scheme." Cali shook her head. "Be happy I'm talking to you."
"I think I would rather have Rachel talking to me."
Cali stopped and glared up to him. "That was unnecessary."
Finn gave her a look, continuing to follow her as she spun around and walked into the tiny office/guestroom. She stood in front of the medium size mirror on the wall, fluffing her hair and staring at Finn behind her.
"What?" Her voice was very controlled, leaking little drabbles of annoyance.
"I don't understand what the big deal is about me talking to Puck and Quinn. I do not have to forgive or forget or whatever. I can stay angry at them forever."
"Oh, Finn. For the love of all that is good and pure." Cali swung herself around, her hand going to sit on her perfectly perched hip. "Puck is your best friend, and you had some kind of feelings for Quinn. It's not right, what they did to you, and I'm sorry. But, you know, you're going to want them in your life, soon enough. They're your friends."
Finn stared at her, shook his head, and turned, walking right out the door. It was Cali's turn to follow him, her throat gurgling with angry noises.
"It's been two months!"
"You would mourn longer for a dog!" Cali stopped as Finn slammed the bathroom door in her face. She huffed, turning so she could lean against the door.
"It's not a dog, Finn. It's a friendship. You're not mourning it. You're mistreating it."
The door was flung open, causing Cali to grab a hold of the doorway, thanking some higher power she didn't fall flat on her behind.
"They mistreated it first!" Cali sighed, straightening herself out.
"You know what!" She pointed her finger in his chest, his face morphing from anger to a dimmed bitterness. "I don't care! Throw away ten years of friendship! I don't care!"
Finn shook his head. "Whatever."
"Whatever." Cali began walking towards her room. "Get changed and fix your hair. We have to be at the party by nine!"
Finn watched as she walked away. He looked down at his shirt and then back up to the direction of her room.
"What's wrong with my outfit?!"
---
Kurt was standing next to Brittany's dining room table, the very expensive looking table which was holding all of the liquor. He was nursing a bright pink cup, filled with an even brighter pink drink from the beautiful crystal punch bowl in the center of the table. He was half praying Brittany had the good sense not to put out her mother's good china, and half praying that, since Brittany had no real good sense, no one would destroy the blonde's property.
A beautiful crystal bowl was hard to come by these days. It was right up there with tiaras.
He smiled brightly as Rachel and Mercedes made their way over to him. It was close to ten and both girls were lit like the candles on the high holy days. They hadn't realized that the punch had been spiked (rather very well, actually). The girls had been drinking the liquid candy liquor since they had walked through the door.
He laughed to himself. The liquid virgins had their cherries popped as they giggled and danced to the bubbly beats of R&B and Hip-Hop artists alike.
"This stuff is amazing!" Mercedes commented, pouring herself another, rather large, cup.
"It's like candy!" Rachel giggled, her hair swinging with every move of her neck. Kurt simply shook his head, shifting to look at the front door.
"Prince Charming has arrived." Both girls turned quickly, almost falling over themselves.
"WHERE?!" Their voices mingled loudly, causing Cali and Finn to shift in their direction.
Kurt smiled widen as Finn's jaw dropped, his eyes grazing Rachel's attire. The soprano looked at Rachel, pride filling his chest.
She was sporting a white pleated skirt, that fell an inch or so above the knee. She was wearing a pink tube top, with a jean jacket over it. You know, for the modesty, (giant eye roll). Brown hair had been curled and swept to the side, her feet glistening in silver ballerina flats. Because why on Earth should she have to wear heels (he really had made a sacrifice with allowing her to not have to wear heels).
Rachel was very much in the outfit, but it still screamed a loud Kurt as well.
Kurt ran over Finn's jeans, white t-shirt, and varsity jacket. If only he could be in two places at once. The world would be a better place.
"Rachel! Wow!" Finn swooped in, giving her a brief kiss. His tongue ran over his lips. "You've been drinking Brittany's famous poison punch." His eyes drifted to look at Kurt. "Interesting."
"What did you want me to do?" Kurt shrugged his shoulders, his lips pausing to take a sip from his cup. "They liked it!"
"What?" Cali was looking at Finn and then at the two girls who were giggling amongst themselves.
"Brittany's poison punch." Finn smirked. "It's her favorite thing to bring to a party. It's this amazing drink with all different kind of liquors. You can get a high off the scent, alone."
"That's ridiculous." Cali shook her head. Kurt leaned over, pouring her half a glass, thrusting the cup into her hand. The brunette stared at it, leaning her head slightly down. "It does smell good."
"Told you." Finn shifted, making his own glass. "I've been drinking these since the very beginning of ninth grade."
"Alcoholic." Cali mumble, taking a sip of the drink. "Mmm!" She nodded her head with approval. "Yummy!"
"Just you wait." Kurt smiled, bobbing his head to the side towards the girls next to them. "The yumminess is long lived."
---
Finn towered over the door way, barely allowing enough room for anyone to make their way from the living room to the hallway. His eyes were trained on a petite brunette who was dancing and laughing with Mercedes and Tina. He had spotted everyone from Glee within the half hour of arriving late.
Kurt was dancing with Brittany, Mike, and Cali a few feet away from Rachel, Mercedes, and Tina. Artie had been dancing as well, but had rolled himself into the dining room to get beverages. Santana had two Cheerios with he, and had been drinking and laughing loudly in the kitchen, Matt tagging around with them. Puck and Quinn were moving from group to group.
They had just walked away from the dance floor, through the opposite door way to the back of the living room.
Finn, personally, had made sure he had only a couple of cups of the poison punch. He was a big guy and had figured out that he could pour the substance down his throat, and it would still take the better part of the punch bowl to get him over the tipsy line. A couple of drinks, pf, he was lucky if he would even feel the beginnings of a buzz.
His eyes rolled back over to Rachel. The smile that crept across his face was almost instant. She was looking smoking hot and her smile was infectious. He had been dancing with them for a short period, but dancing had never been his thing. Usually at these types of functions he was trailing behind Quinn or Puck, actually, talking to people and playing up the bodyguard situation.
Which, he guessed, was what he was doing right now.
He gave a nod to Kurt who had slinked his way from Brittany and Mike (who looked to be getting a little intimate), and stood next to Finn, basically halting the traffic from the hall to the living room. Neither boy seemed to care.
"So, you haven't tried to talk to Quinn and Puck I see." Finn rolled his eyes, noting that Kurt was talking rather loudly, trying to overcome the music.
"Uh, no, I haven't." Finn simply tilted his head, experience was key to a party survival.
"I think it's a shame, really, that you can't at least talk to them." Kurt's voice was still loud, floating up to Finn and across the room. Not that anyone was paying attention.
"Kurt, this really isn't any of your business." Finn noted that Cali had also disappeared from Mike and Brittany. His eyes moved noting that Rachel, Mercedes, and Tina were inching their way to the couche in the far corner of the room, where Artie waited with a few pink cups.
"Ah, but, atlas my Captain, it seems to be my business. Especially when your involving my friends."
Finn looked down at the soprano. Kurt was staring off into the corner where the three girls had flopped onto the couch, and were all talking and laughing. Artie seemed to be the only sober person.
"You and Rachel are like best friends, aren't you?" Finn leaned closer to the doorway.
"Please don't ask me how it happened." Kurt shook his head. "But she is definitely in my calling circle." Kurt whipped out his phone, showing proof as he spun the circle of faces. "Free calls and texts."
Finn laughed. "I remembered the bitter Wicked diva-off."
"Those were different times, my friend." Kurt was nodding his head a little too much. He was probably finally feeling the effects of his nursed punch. "These days, well, I do anything for those girls."
The tall boy's eyes floated to the corner couch, then to the dance floor, and then finally to the other exit of the living room. He sighed deeply.
"Watch her." Kurt looked up at Finn's sharp tone, simply nodding his head.
"Where are you going?"
"To go make an ass out of myself." Kurt continued to nod.
---
Quinn was sitting on one of the cushy kitchen chairs. She was relaxing, her hands over her swollen belly. Puck was at the island, talking to Nick Harrison, a junior, and his girlfriend Sienna.
The blonde winced as she shifted in the kitchen chair, twisting so her back was a little straighter. A new found glory to pregnancy was the perpetual feeling of being uncomfortable, all the time. Even sleep had become a hassle. It was down right annoying.
She let out a breath as she finished twisting herself around. Her brown eyes scanned the kitchen, widening as Finn stepped into the pristine green and white tiled room.
They continued to widen as the tall boy made his way over to the table, flopping down across from her. He had shifted the chair so it faced outward, rather then facing her. His whole body relaxed into the chair, his arm sitting on the table, and his lips in a straight line.
She was little nervous to speak.
"Look, I think what you and Puck did, it's, it was just wrong. You know?" Quinn stared at him, eyes wide, mouth slightly open, and then shifted to look around the small space surrounding them. She noted that Puck was barely listening to Nick and Sienna, the corner of his eye was on the kitchen table. "And I know that you and Puck are sorry or whatever. And I'm not saying I forgive you, because I don't. But I'm not mad anymore." Quinn continued to stare at him. "I'm sure I will forgive you guys, because you're my friends. And I want to help with the baby, wherever I can. Whether it's babysitting, because Rachel is good with that stuff, or buying things, or emotional support. Or whatever." His head turned, his eyes meeting with hers.
Quinn looked at him, smiled, started nodding her head, and then broke into a million tiny tears, that streamed down her face.
Puck made an excuse and walked over to Quinn, squatting down and gently patting her knee.
"She does this. A lot." He looked over at Finn. "I'm sorry man. I really am."
Finn shrugged and then sighed. "Look, I'm glad that she at least has you. I know that you're not going to hurt her or the baby."
"Oh Finn!" Puck shifted so that Quinn could throw herself at Finn, who awkwardly hugged her back. "I'm so happy that you still care! And I'm not really happy about you and Rachel, but I'm dealing with it!"
Finn looked at Quinn, even though her head was buried in his shoulder, he then shifted to look at Puck. The mohawked boy shook his head and shrugged. There seemed to be a silent message of 'take whatever you get' hanging between them.
"Um, thanks, Quinn." Finn gingerly detached her from his neck, giving her a smile. He stood up, turning her to Puck. "I left Kurt in charge of Rachel, she's a little gone, so I'm just going to check on them before--"
Loud bickering erupted from the living room, pausing Quinn's tears and tensing Finn and Puck.
"Well, now we know it's a Brittany party." Puck mumbled, grabbing Quinn's hand and moving quickly towards the living room. Finn was hot on their heels.
---
Kurt had been watching his friends sing and dance in their seats, giggling and laughing as they messed up lyrics and bumped into each other. He smiled and turned, only to come face to face with Cali.
"What's up?" She moved so that she could look over at four of the six original Glee members.
"I'm watching them." Kurt's voice was slurring, just slightly. Cali looked at him and grabbed his cup. "UH!"
"You have had enough." Cali shook her head. "Where's Finn?"
"He went to go make an ass out of himself." Kurt shrugged as Cali's eyes widened slightly. "That is what he told me."
"Oh sweet baby Jesus." Cali mumbled and placed her hand over her face. "I swear to all that is holy, if he does something stupid, I'll kick his ass."
Kurt simply rolled his eyes, his hand trying to dart and take his cup back from her. He was failing miserably.
"You know, I have known that boy since the uterus," Kurt made a disgusted face, "and he always has to go and be a dumb-ass."
"I think it's cute." Kurt once again went to grab the cup, only to partially lose his balance as Cali threw her arm out and away from him.
"You would."
"Hag." Kurt mumbled. Cali rolled her eyes.
"Do not make me go there." Kurt opened his mouth, but nothing came out. A loud voice sounded from the back of the living room.
The dirty blonde boy and brunette pixie swung their heads to see Rachel and Tina covered in Brittany's poison punch.
"Oh, no." Kurt mumbled. He began moving towards them, his hand sought out Cali's to drag her along.
"What the hell is your problem?!" Artie was glaring up at the drunken hockey player.
"I didn't know Britt allowed losers at her party! Britt! Come on doll!" The blonde had made her way to the couch, Mike directly behind her.
"They're my friends, Chaz." Brittany was shaking her head. She moved to go help Rachel and Tina, only to stop as the large hockey player turned fully around.
"Rachel the freak, Tina the st-st-stuttering wonder, and Wheels is your friends?" Kurt maneuvered his way behind the red-face boy, grabbing both Rachel and Tina's hands. "OH!" The soprano gave out an annoyed sigh. "And Garbage Bag! Wow Britt, I'm a little disappointed."
"Leave them alone Hahn." Puck and Finn were standing at the edge of the circle that had formed. Puck narrowed his eyes and crossed his arms.
"Or what Puckerman? Gonna throw your pregnant girlfriend at me?"
"Seriously Chaz, leave them alone." Finn was glaring at him. "It's a party, go off and drink and have sex."
"Don't be jealous Hudson." Chaz smirked, he spun around and looked at Rachel. "At least she has a decent body." He went to grab her arm, but was suddenly pushed harshly out of the way.
The large hockey player turned and stared at Finn, who was about an inch taller, but a little smaller in width.
"Leave her alone." Chaz growled and moved forward, about to throw a punch at Finn when Puck swooped in from the edge and slammed Chaz with a fist first.
Cali gently covered her face with a hand as Finn threw himself into the mix. At that point a couple of the hockey players involved themselves and then Mike and Matt jumped in. She could vaguely hear cheering from the Glees and other students, as Rachel, Brittany, and Quinn were yelling at their respective boyfriends/counterparts.
Kurt, who had slithered back to Cali with Tina, Mercedes, and Artie, gave her a small smile.
"Great party!"
---
Puck and Finn sat at the Puckerman house, a small bag of ice on their left and right eyes respectively. Cali was sitting on the coffee table in front of them, her legs crossed and her eyebrows narrowed. Rachel was curled into the leather rocker just off to the side of Finn, and Kurt was sitting on the floor, in front of the coffee table flipping channels.
Cali had sent Quinn home with Mercedes, while Brittany and Mike dealt with the aftermath of party clean up. She could have cared less about the rest of the party goers, knowing that the rest of the Glee club had either high tailed it home or was helping Brittany and Mike clean.
Her only focused was the two brainiacs in front of her and the repercussions of the enormous fight between the hockey players and the basketball/football players.
"I hope you two are very proud." She shook her head as Puck opened his mouth. "Chaz Hahn has a broken nose. Liam Carter as a bruised wrist. And Michael Chesterfield had an asthma attack."
"We both have shiners and I have a bruised rib!" Finn stated in his and Puck's defense.
"I don't care. You two know better." Cali threw her arms into the air, turning to face the television. Kurt was watching a paid programming for a rolling hair straightening brush. She let out a breath, her head falling so that her chin hit her chest.
"This is not that big of a deal." Puck announced, pulling the ice pack from his bruising eye.
"I still think it was a great party." Kurt stated, leaning into the table and focusing on a frizzy haired model. "Look at this hot mess."
"Kurt, there was a huge fight." Rachel mumbled. She turned and looked at Finn, her smile brightening. "My hero!"
Finn laughed. "I would hardly call anything I did heroic."
"I sure as hell wouldn't." Cali whispered, her chin in her hand. Finn looked over at her, glaring.
"Don't I get anything?" Puck questioned, looking at Rachel.
"You're my hero too." Rachel tilted her head. "You're both my heroes!"
"This is turning into a horrible teen movie explosion." Kurt looked at Rachel and then the two boys on the couch. "I'm getting bored."
"Maybe I should give you a play by play of the fight." Puck glared at Kurt. "Using my fist and your face as props."
"That won't be necessary." Kurt said, turning back to the paid program.
"At least you two are friends again." Cali was distracted as she talked, watching the frizzy girl's hair transform to a straight hair style.
"We're not friends." Finn stated, he smirked and looked over at Puck who simply rolled his eyes. Kurt, Rachel, and Cali turned to them. "We're not."
"Chill, it's cool." Finn and Puck laughed, causing Rachel, Cali, and Kurt to turn back away from them.
All three opened their mouths.
"Boys."
