Growing Ensemble
AnniKay
Sam/Mercedes/Puck
Disclaimer: I own Nothing…Murphy, Falchuk, and Brennen along with Fox and others own this fandom and all the characters there in…Anything you recognize obviously belongs to them
THANKS to everyone who has taken the time to read and leave me some review love. Your encouragement helps more than you know. Take a moment and let me know what you enjoyed most about the update.
AN: This is the third story in the Learning French Universe. The New Directions begin their Senior year.
I'd also like to take a moment to thank all those who've chosen to give kudos to or favorite and follow this series as well. Every bit of praise is encouragement.
This chapter is currently only half betaed...but since the other of my betas is celebrating her hubby's birthday weekend and I am way too impatient to wait, You'll just have to live with Illy's edits only until KayBee can get me hers and then I'll probably change the chapter. If you have suggestions for making the chapter better, let me know.
Thanks y'all
Anni
Chapter 26
Shaking the Trees
Mercedes Point of View
For the first time in a long time, I woke up before my boys. I was still enveloped in their strong, loving arms. I was spooned up against Sam, his hand trapped between Puck and me as it covered my breast with his big warm palm. I could feel his morning wood throbbing between my ass cheeks, it was so damn arousing when he did that shit, and I know it wasn't on purpose or anything, but it was still hot like fire. Sam was pressed so close to me that I could feel the even rise and fall of his chest telling me that he was still asleep. Puck was still asleep in front of me as well; his morning erection was nestled between my thighs, pulsing deliciously against my swelling vulva. Even as my body was responding to their unconscious desire, my mind was racing with thoughts so unsexy; I'm surprised that my body was reacting at all. I was mentally trying to process everything that we had seen and learned and heard over the preceding week.
But one thought kept overshadowing all the bad. One thought kept on circulating through my brain. 'Thank God that it is almost over, and that we've been able to shelter and shield Stevie, Stacey and Sarah from almost all of it.' They knew that we were dealing with something pertaining to 'the guy we'd tried to gank at camp'; Stevie's words…but we hadn't discussed any of the particulars with them. Knowing how smart they are, I'm sure they knew more than I thought they did, especially since I hadn't been at all circumspect during camp, and the NDs and Cheerios had discussed Tinsley in their presence.
"You're thinking so loud, you woke me up." Puck muttered without opening his eyes. "Thought we had an agreement, no thinking about the 'stupid muthafucka' when we're naked. He doesn't deserve to even be in your thoughts when you're this fucking sexy."
"Puck, you're crazy." I chuckled quietly. "I wasn't even thinking about Mr. Dickweed."
"Or Mr. Weed Dick, according to his fiancée." Sam joked sleepily as he joined the conversation.
We shared a giggle at that horrible joke. "Anyway as I was saying, I wasn't thinking about him…exactly. I was thinking about how happy I am that we've managed to shelter the little ones from the worst of all this."
Puck stretched, pulling back so he could look me in my eyes. "I get keeping Stevie and Stacey and Sarah in the dark…I mean, sheltered and shit. But explain to me again why we had to keep everything from Kev and Dev?"
"Cause the only 'young black man with a bright and promising future' I want to see in jail behind all this is Shane 'Future Criminal Minds Case Study' Tinsley. There is no way I hell that K&D wouldn't already have beaten his ass, slit his throat and watched him bleed out in a very public venue. Like, I don't know…the front steps of the courthouse." I said sarcastically. "Quite frankly I'm tired. I've barely managed to keep a tight rein on you two, the dads and Santana. If Blaine and Brittany hadn't been willing to help me pull a Lysistrata with Kurt, Satan and Artie, I'm pretty sure some ill shit would have popped off already. I have leverage over all of y'all. I have nothing I could use to keep Kevon and Devon in line, especially since you know Tricey and Tonya would have had their backs not mine in how they reacted to this shit." I said honestly.
"Yeah, your sisters-in-law kinda embody that Kipling quote about the female of the species." Puck returned with a laugh.
"Alright, I know what leverage you've got on us." Sam teased, his big hand sliding down my belly to tickle my delta of Venus only to bring it back up and pinch and twist my stiffening nipples. "And these sexy titties and even the illusion of a promise of her getting more face times with them is probably enough to keep Santana leashed…but how on earth are you keeping the Dads all so calm?"
I couldn't help but laugh. "Good old fashion guilt." They both raised their heads to look at me like I'd suddenly sprouted a second head. "Daddy, Sander, George, you can't go to prison, what would happen to Sarah and Stevie and Stacey and Surprise? Sam and Puck and I would have to take a miss on college and stay home and work." I shrugged. "It seemed to work pretty well, especially once I told them that I would probably never recover from the guilt."
"Hold up, you used the threat of guilt to guilt the Dads into not killing Senor Douchebag?" Puck gasped as he fell away from our embrace cackling like a mad man. "That is the fucking real shit, right there." He laughed.
Behind me Sam was giggling more than a little too. "Alright, Mercy, I want a promise here and now that you will only use your powers for good."
"Boy, please," I reached back and poked him in the arm. "Guilt is not a superpower. You're catholic, according to sitcoms; the only person who should know that better than you is Noah." I shot back with a grin.
"Damn that Nanny…they told all our secrets." Puck joked.
"At least Fran Dresher was majorly hot. Name me one hot catholic on television." Sam challenged.
"Umm…Jessie L. Martin, he played that really hot black cop on Law and Order…and he was Tom Collins in Rent…but on Law and Order he was a catholic. And don't forget about Stabler, that is one hot, angry, catholic dude." I pointed out with a little shiver.
"Hold the hell up, Baby." Sam growled rolling me over onto my back and covering me quickly. "I'd better be the only 'hot catholic' giving your sexy ass the shivers." He lowered his head and captured my lips in a kiss so hot I could barely remember my name when he finished. "Or else, I'll be angry." He taunted as he ground his erection against my, oh so damn, wet core. "Fuck." He hissed. "Baby's ready for some good lovin'. Thought we wore your sexy ass out last night."
Puck passed Sam a condom as he readied things for his turn. "You know our woman is always needy for us." He chided. "Babygirl is a badass like that." Puck insinuated his head between Sam and me, catching one of my hard nipples in his hot, sucking mouth; distracting me and pushing me closer to the edge as Sam covered his erection in latex.
I was closer than any of us could have guessed. As Sam thrust home, deeply embedding his cock in my heat in one swift stroke, I came with a surprised shriek. Wave after wave of pleasure shook me as Sam fucked me through my orgasms. He and Puck played with my body, suckling and teasing, pinching and plucking me breasts and any other flesh they chose to as I came and came and came. Puck and Sam know exactly how to work my body so that my entire skin became one huge erogenous zone, and an eternity of ecstasy later, I heard Sam's roar of completion surged over my every nerve and I felt him pulsing and throbbing inside me as he filled the condom. "God, I love you," I moaned as I finally started to come down from my orgasmic high.
Sam laid a soft, sweet, kiss on my lips and whispered a breathless, "I love you, too."
"Yeah…but it's time to share the lover. You know I loves me some sleepy, warm, soft Cedes lovin'. So step aside Sam-I-Am." Puck shouldered Sam to the side good naturedly. But rather than take Sam's place between my still splayed, still shaking thighs, he placed gentle hands on my hips and rolled me onto my tummy. Before I could try to still my shaking arms enough to rise up onto them, I felt a slight sting and heard the resounding sound of skin meeting skin as Puck slapped each of my ass cheeks, before spreading them gently and going down on my ass-literally. He licked and sucked my ass hole even making happy, yum-yum sounds as he tongue fucked it. He wasn't satisfied until I was trying to crawl up the bed away from him. Only then did he pull back. He licked his way up my spine, igniting every nerve ending along the way. With a nip at my earlobe, he whispered "Fuckin' love your sexy ass, Babygirl." he murmured as he leaned over my back to get the lube.
I've acknowledged that I am probably strange, but I really, really, really love the feel of one of my men's long, thick cocks sliding into my ass. That morning was no different. The stretching, filling, almost pulling sensation was just as erotic to me as it would have been if he was filling my pussy, and I couldn't hold back my pleasure filled moan. "Oh God, so good Puck."
"Fuck, Babygirl, your ass is fucking awesome." Puck groaned. He set the pace, fast from the word jump. That more than anything let me know that he was barely in control. I loved that shit. My hips were pumping back to meet his thrusts as fast as he was throwing his hips forward. Until his strong hands grabbed my ass and forced me to stay still. "You're gonna make me cum too quick; putting that shit on me like that Sexy Mama." He growled. But after a few more deep, penetrating thrusts he pulled back one hand and gave me three quick hard smacks even as he slid the other hand around and gave my clit a gentle but firm pinch.
"Christ, oh fuck, oh fuck…holy everlasting FUCK!" I screamed. "Pl-ple-oh shit…ple-please." I babblebegged. For what I don't know but I kept begging like a total moron as Puck dicked me down, forcing me into an orgasm so strong my body bucked and heaved like crazy.
To keep himself inside me, Puck had to wrap a strong arm around my middle; holding me tightly against him as he flooded my rectum with the hot, thick spurts of his cum. "Fuck yeah, Babygirl. So fucking good. Love you." He panted against my shoulder.
The three of us cuddled together on the bed, until we all had our breath back and our limbs stopped their quaking. When we could finally move, Sam and Puck gave me sweet, deep, make me wanna pull them back into bed with me kisses before heading to their bathroom to shower and shave. I took care of all the necessary business in my own sal-de-bain before showering, lotioning, and taking care of my beauty regiment. I returned to the bedroom to see my guys had already come back in wearing comfy, well-worn jeans and tee shirts with a hoodie for Sam and a flannel for Puck. Since I started dating Sam and Puck, my lazy clothes have matured quite a bit. I've stopped with the yoga pants and my dad's old sweatshirts and now I tend to stick to leggings and shirts that look like they belonged to a man my father's size but were actually designed for a woman. I pulled out a large purple chambray boyfriend shirt. The shirt was big enough to end half way down my thighs, and hang off my shoulder, but thanks to a few little darts in the back, it also managed to be fitted over my breasts. It was the perfect shirt to play 'keep away' with my guys during the study session. I swayed my hips a little more than necessary as I walked to my dresser and pulled out a pair of black satin panties, they weren't granny panties, but they weren't lace either, after all I'm going to hang out with the gang and study for the SATs, no reason to pull out the crazy-maker lingerie. I grabbed the matching bra, which had lacy straps, but all the rest was lovely, solid, soft black satin. I dressed quickly and shoved my feet into some socks and trainers. We made our way downstairs and grabbed a quick breakfast. The Jones parents were with Stevie at Sprawl-Mart for his Cubscout Show & Sale, while the Evans parents were with Stacey and Sarah at their Girl Scout Jamboree, Tessa had probably left early to hang out with the younger NDs they were doing some bonding at Sugar's palatial mansion, and I'm guessing George and Becah were taking the chance to have some solitary time for themselves since all the kids were accounted for.
When we got to Brittany's home, her parents were almost disturbingly happy to see us. We weren't the first to arrive. Finn, Lauren, Mike and Tina had already shown up and been put to work. Of course Santana and Artie were there already. Artie had his dictator pants on and was directing Finn and Mike in rearranging the Pierce's great room furniture to his exacting specifications. Sam gave me a quick kiss before smacking Puck on the shoulder and dragging him across the room to help Finn and Mike out. Santana and Lauren were helping as well, if one defines helping as pointing and laughing. Rather than join them, tempted though I was, I headed into the wet bar area to help Brittany and Tina who were setting out the snacks and drinks the overjoyed, adult Pierces had provided.
Moments after they finished Kurt and Blaine walked in greeting everyone with laughing smiles. I wondered for a second what Blaine was doing at the senior study session, before I remembered that Blaine had gotten very militant about graduating early. Through testing out of some courses and the Ohio online high school courses, he was pretty well on schedule to graduate with us. It was too late for him to take the SAT course we'd taken, but he had registered for the test on the same day we were all sitting for it. besides, with the rather dangerous level of disdain Misters Anderson and Motta had for each other, it was probably best that Blaine not be seen going to the Motta home. Sugar and Blaine got along just fine, but their dads got along about even worse than Satan and Berry.
Quinn was the last to arrive and she had James, Wes and David with her. Everyone looked behind them, only to breathe a collective sigh of relief when James laughed. "Don't worry, Seb decided to stay on campus, he's supposedly paying some MIT brainiac to take the test for him."
"Oh thank Cheezus." Finn put all our thoughts into words. "Sorry, but it's like he goes out of his way to flirt with guys he knows are taken, or straight…or both. If Kurt, Tina and Mercedes band together, there is nothing on earth any of us can do to save him."
"Hey…what about me? I'm a bigger threat than Homo-Erection, Madam Breastises and Chopsocky Chuck." Santana bitched.
Finn just rolled his eyes. "You pissed off, I've seen. It's scary, yeah…but those three, the thought of them going ape isht…that terrifies me. I mean who's going to stop them? Puck and Sam will probably just eat popcorn and watch while laughing. Mike would be hiding behind his hand so he doesn't have to see the blood spatter, and Blaine…well he might try, but Kurt has him wrapped around his little finger."
Lauren chortled. "That's all so true. Besides Santana, you might as well admit it…Sebastian is your anglo, male doppleganger isn't he?"
Satan let loose with a barrage of Spanish, French and English curse words so expansive and all-encompassing she had Puck taking mental notes. Eventually Brittany and Artie tired of it. With a shared look, Brittany took the easiest manner available to her for shutting Santana up. She straddled her girlfriend's lap and kissed the pissed right out of her.
As they kissed, Artie called us to attention. "Alright, while Britts is getting Tana back down to her usual level of beloved bitchiness, here's how this shit is gonna go down. You'll note that the living room has been divided into two zones. We'll have three sessions each ninety minutes long, broken up by ten to fifteen minute breaks. Mercedes, you and Que have the verbal portion; you've both got Hermione Granger grades in literature and English. Mike and I will run the math sections. Math will go first, we'll stretch and potty, grab some snackage and settle over there for the Cedes and Quinn's hour and half. Then more stretching and then we're gonna move back over here and give out attention to Kurt and James who are going to try to help those of us who are less verbose to get a passable grade on the essay portion." He told us all with absolute authority.
He rolled over to a side table and picked up a huge stack of papers. "Now, I've complied all our various notes from the SAT prep course, even Sam's specialty ones…some of those are freakin' awesome by the way, and I've put them together with the best ones I gathered from the net. I went old school and printed these out for us. We can take notes on these, plus in a minute, I'm gonna send you each a zip file with this same shit in epub, mobi, pdf…basically every format I can think you might have a device to read it on. We've got two Saturdays to do these study sessions and then the test."
Sam spoke up, relaying Attorney Bradley's tips about relaxing as much as possible the day before the test. Artie looked thoughtful, but it was Lauren who spoke. "Alright, I'd suggest that we ditch after lunch that Friday, but the Titans have a game that night. At least it's a home game that week. Too bad the bye week isn't the week before the test, not the week after. So we can't take Friday physically off…but maybe we can figure out something to do after the game to cool down and relax."
"You know what would be, like, Awesome?" Finn began thinking aloud. "We should have a huge dinner for all of us and our siblings…those of us who have them anyway… and our parents, and then see if anybody will let us have a sleepover. Then we could all have breakfast together and take the test. Ooh, ooh…maybe we could even car pool to the school for it and everything"
Sam, Puck and I exchanged looks. While we all agreed that it was a great idea, I was a little hesitant about voicing my agreement. "Cool, but I'm telling you, Sexy Mama's house is off the table right now. Bent and Moms D have already let us have their basement for a sleepover once, and then they fed all our asses before the trip to see Green Day…they keep coming out of pocket, it's somebody else's turn."
Brittany smiled and hopped up from Santana's lap. "I can ask my parents. They are super happy that I decided to try and graduate this year after all. I was going to just stay here and keep being a Cheerio until I got too old…but this is much better. I mean, now that I know that Tana and Artie and I will be together and we'll see Cedes and Puck and Sam and Kurt and Blaine all the time…Anyway, I'm sure they will say yes."
Everyone smiled at Brittany's infectious happiness, though I know that I was startled to hear that she was thinking of not even trying to graduate. After hugging and kissing both Brittany and Santana, Artie took off his boyfriend hat and put back on his dictator cap, forcing us all to work. I'm not even gonna lie though. The tricks and tips that Mike and Artie broke down for us were all completely on point. We went over the proscribed time limit and not a soul complained. When we did break, we all sat around talking about the ways the tips could help us in our regular, day to day, math homework. Eventually we all grabbed snacks or drinks and started shooting our mouths off. Out of nowhere, Santana hijacks my lap and starts talking in rapid French. "The corsets are all in. You're gonna love the one I found for you. BTW you owe me fifty plus shipping and handling. Now I've already arranged for a suite at the Wyndham for the whole weekend. Me, Wheels and Britts will be in the solo room, you three are sharing a double bedroom with C-Cubed."
"Remind me again when the hell I agreed to this shit?" I grumbled, though I kept to French since Kurt was all the way in the kitchen and nobody else even took the language, it felt safe.
Satan gave me a smirk. "It's happening. Go ahead and get cha head right. Cause the weekend after SATs…oh it's on and poppin'."
I shook my head. "Tana, you do know that I'm not letting you up on this for real again, right?"
She gave me a smirking shrug. "We'll see, besides, I don't need all up on you again…I just need some more face time with your gargantuan chest twins." She taunted as she stood.
"Only if all four of our partners agree." I shot back with a little smirk of my own. "And Sam and Puck have been hella-overprotective and possessive lately."
"Please," she scoffed. "I already know that your 'brother from another mother', Artie, is gonna be the hardest to sell on that one." She laughed, then she leaned down and poked me in her favorite part of my anatomy.
"Ow heifer." I gasped smacking her hand. Fortunately before we could dissolve into a silly slap fest, or worst a real one, Artie cracked the whip and called an end to the break.
The other sessions were just as helpful. Yes, a lot of it was going over what we'd already learned, but we also shared tips we'd found helpful on regular standardized tests, and other bits of important information, like you don't get points off for skipping a question so if you really have no clue at all it's better to skip it than to guess and get it wrong. Or the fact that on the essay portion you should make sure to vary your sentence length so the reader doesn't get bored. We even got homework from the rolling despot, well Finn, Sam and Puck did. They all had to practice some handwriting drills so they would, hopefully, have their writing readable by the test day. The rest of us just had to go over our packet'o'notes at least twice before the next study session. We'd gotten to the Pierce home before noon, and we didn't leave until a little after six.
When we got home, we were dragging more than a little; at least until we got into the family room to find, Triple S, Kevon, Devon, Patrice, Tonya Bubbie Ruth, and Saul all looking at us with what could best be described as a fiery mixture of anger, hurt, disappointment and barely banked rage. Something tells me that the shielding I'd tried to keep on the trial has been brought down.
Third Person Point of View (And let the readers all say…Thank you DarkAngelicDemon)
Holiday Inn Express was a nice hotel, but it really didn't make anyone any smarter for having stayed there. It did, however, have the required number of rooms available and was very close to the courthouse, so it was a perfect place to sequester a jury. It even provided them a small conference room that allowed the jurors to deliberate during the weekend hours, in relative comfort. The twelve jurors and one alternate were treated to breakfast and then they were led into to the conference room. Each was given a packet of information, depositions, evidence lists and descriptions, transcripts of the judges' instructions and a list of questions provided by each attorney as a way to organize their thoughts. They then returned to their rooms. Over the next three hours, they each read all the depositions and started to look at the evidence. A few of them already knew which way they were going to vote, and after giving a cursory examination of the evidence, they moved to more pleasurable pursuits, like watching TV or napping. After lunch they reassembled in the conference room for their first vote.
"Eight for conviction and five for acquittal?" the foreman asked after she tallied the votes. The Jury foreman was a proud big, beautiful, black woman, and she was disgusted by the actions of the defendant, and even more so by the words and accusations of the defense attorney. "Ok, without asking which five of us are complete morons, I just want to ask if five of us were asleep in that courtroom."
The smallest of the women sighed. She was a mousy brown haired woman, who had been raised to be modest in all things. She was completely non-confrontational about most things, but when it came to 'loose women' she couldn't hold her tongue. "I'm not a moron and I was fully awake. I'm sorry; while I don't think it was right for that guy to rub himself on the victim…she was pretty much asking for it. I mean, she admitted that her shirt was low cut, her skirt was short, she was wearing make-up and at a rowdy party… of course he though she was giving it away."
Hoping to diffuse the rage he saw building in the jury foreman's eyes, another of the not guilty voters spoke up. "I don't think she was asking for it, I just think the kid was drunk off his ass and made a bad choice. It would be hard for me to toss him in with adult criminals for that."
It was a good attempt, but the foreperson was more enraged than ever after that statement of bullshit. "She wasn't asking for it and he ain't no damn kid. That guy is six foot eight easy, that chick is maybe five three. She's a thick little honey, but he's massive compared to her. If there are guys in prison who can show him exactly how she felt that night well then more power to them." She said with a fierce growl. "I've always thought that it was bullshit that women shouldn't be on a rape jury because they tend to vilify the victim…I would have sworn that a woman would inherently understand the fear and the pain… the humiliation the victim had to have gone through, but you can sit there and say that chick brought it on herself because she was chillin' at a friend's party?"
The mouse looked like she desperately wanted to say something more. However, one of the men who had voted guilty, saw the words 'of course you'd defend her' on the small woman's lips and knew that if she went there it would only end in her getting a beat down, decided to pose a suggestion. "Fine then, let's break it down charge by charge and see what the votes are, cause apparently the five acquittals forgot that he's been stalking her for the last several months after the night of the party and he sexually assaulted her again at school."
The foreman gave him a look of consideration. She forced calmness she didn't actually feel into her tone "Alright, let's break this down. On a piece of paper, write the charge I call out and your vote on guilt next to it." She muttered. "Let's start with the least of the charges. Cyber stalking." She gave them each a chance to make their decision. "Menace by Staking, Sexual imposition, or lesser sexual assault, and last Gross Sexual Imposition, or felony sexual assault." After counting all the votes she looked around the table in disgust, "So we all agree on the lesser charges, even little Miss judge-Mental, but the sticking point is the main charge of gross sexual imposition…"
"Look, I'll just put it like this; if that Jones girl was your daughter, or even you… would you want this prick to get away scott free because of what she or you were wearing?" The oldest gentleman on the jury asked his voice conveying his own disbelief. He looked each of his fellow jury members in their eyes as he continued. "You all heard my answers during jury selection; I'm still surprised I was even selected for this jury. I was damn near charged with rape when I was in college, and it was all bullshit. Some chick had let a bunch of frat boys have at her and then got embarrassed, cried rape and pointed the finger at me. I've had some issues with women and cops ever since… But this girl really was almost a victim of rape…cause there is nothing that I've seen and heard during this trial that lets me think for a moment that if the Tinsley ass had been able to get her alone he wouldn't have had at her no matter what… and if you can't see that because her shirt was low cut or her shirt was short, then you need to get some serious counseling. That boy wasn't falsely accused; he admitted that did everything we read in the depositions and we all saw the stuff that was on that video. He just doesn't think there is anything wrong with what he did. That tells me that something is wrong with him. Seriously wrong…he needs to get his shit together before he kills somebody."
"Yes, but jail isn't the place for that. He'll do five years and come out even worse than he went in." the other male dissenter said passionately.
"Okay. Let's look at this a different way. Just look at the judge's instructions. Do any of us really feel that Shane Tinsley didn't do all the things that he is charged with?" The oldest woman on the jury asked quietly. She had marched for equal pay for equal work; she had burned bras, and demanded the end to unjust wars. She had fought for justice since she was old enough to carry a sign and finding justice for the victim in this trial was exactly what she was determined to do. When everyone agreed that just looking at the actions and not the rhetoric, the defendant was guilty she continued. "Then as a point of law, we have to return a guilty verdict. The burden of proof was met by the prosecution and the defense attorney couldn't offer any affirmative defense. 'He did it, but it was all her fault,' is not an affirmative defense."
Everyone looked around considering the truth of her words. The youngest man on the jury, one of the not guilty voters looked around the table. "I guess I have to change my vote. I mean, it sucks that he'll go to prison with real adults, but I think you have a point. He's way too big to put in juvie with kids…and he is guilty."
The only female dissenter sighed. "I cannot believe that you are that easily swayed. There is a lot of discussion of the guy paying for his transgressions, but why is he the only one? She admitted that she was dressed provocatively. She admitted that she was caught by the police in a compromising position. She is just as at fault as he. Let us not forget, the so called victim is sleeping with two boys. She is flaunting her wares all over the place. If she hadn't been dressed like a slut on a street corner, maybe she wouldn't have ended up in this guy's sights."
Several of the original eight guilty voters dropped their heads to the table. This deliberation was not going to be as easy as they thought.
Puck Point of View
I knew it was a bad idea not to include the whole family in what was going on. I even told Cedes that shit more than once, but I never could have even thought that everyone we kept in the dark would band together and pop the fuck up like this. This shit was like whoa.
"Bubbelas, we've already had it out with your parents…" Bubbie Ruth began. "We've listened to all their words and all their reasons, but I want hear it straight from the horses' ass mouths…what on earth were you thinking when you chose not to share such major, such vital, such important information like 'I was the victim of sexual assault and the trial is happening' from your brothers and Saul and myself?"
Mercedes took a deep breath. "I was hoping that we could keep Stevie, Stacey and Sarah shielded from all of this. They are very young and I…I just don't want them to lose their innocence this soon. I guess I didn't think about telling you or Saul. We don't really tell most of my uncles or my remaining grandmother…well, anything but you know…I got all As or hey we're doing this fundraiser, here is the site to go to and buy stuff."
Bubbie growled but nodded. "I'll give you the bye on the new relationship with me and Saulie and how different our interactions are to what you seem to be used to with your original family, but me and Saul; we need to hear this kind of thing from you. We won't use it against you or to belittle you, we want to be here to give you our help and love and support, and to be honest, you'd probably find that to be true of most of your parents' siblings as well. As for the Triple Terrors, honey, apparently they knew enough to worry and then getting completely shut out this last week has them horribly scared and upset enough to call in the big guns." She said gently running a hand through Stacey's hair as the little angel sat on her lap. "And your brothers, and Pattie and Tonya; why treat them like mushrooms?"
"Ummm, mushrooms?" Sam asked.
"Kept in the dark and fed shit." Saul explained for his mother.
Mercedes gave him a little grin before fixing her brothers with a glare. "You've know what maybe a week at the outside…how many different ways have you two and your wives come up with to kill him?"
"Three days and sixty-three different ways." Kevon said with total honesty.
"And how many of those would see one if not all four of you in prison?" Mercedes continued unimpressed.
She might not have been impressed, but I sure as hell was. I'd known all along and I only had a third of that number on my list. "Damn near all of them…but it would be so f'in worth it." Devon said with a feral grin.
Tonya was looking only a little less deadly than her fiancé when she spoke. "Cede…we love you. Yes we want to protect you and failing that, punish the person who did you harm…but that is just because you are our sister, either by blood or heart, and we love you."
"Exactly why I made sure that no one told you. I don't want my big brothers or sisters locked up. I want that stupid a-hole who decided that his wants and desires are more important than mine and my rights to be locked up." Cedes fought back. "If you guys had known about this from the jump, what would have happened when I told you that this same dude was, as we found out this week, stalking me?"
"Long range rifle, double tap to his head. If you hit the first bullet with the second, you'll obliterate all evidence." Patrice said quietly. "Uncle was a sniper in the Rangers, he lives in Jersey now. Said I should give him a call if this guy walks. But Cede, we were going to let the courts have a chance at him first." At my Sexy Mama's skeptical look, she looked a little sheepish. "Okay, Tonya and I were gonna let the courts have first crack at him…your brothers were all for breaking into his house and slitting his throat in his bed."
I chuckled. "You'd have to get his dad too. That motherfather is the reason the son is so 'follada en la cabeza'."
"Mercedes, the whole point is that you're going to have to learn to trust those who love you." Saul said quietly. "You've got one hell of an independent personality and there is nothing wrong with that, but you've got to learn that being too reluctant to allow those you love close, ends up leaving you lonely."
Sam and I enfolded Mercedes into our arms. "It wasn't just her." Sam defended. "I agreed with her about keeping Stevie and Stacey, and therefore Sarah out of everything. I know that they heard some stuff at camp, but I didn't want them worryin' and wonderin' bout something like this."
"But, Sammy," Stacey said quietly, "that's xactly what happened. I've been frettin' something fierce about what that monster looking man wanted with Mercy. And y'all not telling us nothin' just made everything scarier."
Stevie wasn't quite so nice. "We're young Sam, but we ain't dumb. There was too much being said only for y'all to suddenly stop talking when we came into the room. We actually went through about a week where we were bout killin' ourselves tryin' to figure out what we'd done wrong."
Cedes shook us off to go hug Stevie. I'm positive that if me or Sam had gone to him, we'd have had a fight on our hands, but she just pulled him to her and hugged him tight, and I guess since we owed him one we could ignore the way he was burrowing his head into our tits…just this one time. "You three didn't do anything wrong. We…we were just as overprotective as K and D always were to me growing up, and I guess I forgot that it didn't ever actually work. I always found out or figured out what they didn't want me to know."
"Yeah, hence why your silly butt spent a year addicted to porn and almost had to go to rehab for it at eight." Devon said sotto voice.
"Shut it." Mercedes turned to him and hissed. "That was supposed to go to our grave as something only WE three knew."
Bubbie stopped them before they could break into an argument. "We'll just forget that knowledge then. Now Mercedes, Sam, and Noah…the six of us are here until next weekend so that we can be with you when the verdict comes in. But right here and right now, I want your promise that you will never shut your family out of something this important every again."
We gave our promise but Cedes had a question, "how did you all find out anyway?"
Sarah spoke for the first time. I was so not used to her being quiet, but she'd pretty much been watching everything as the events unfolded around her. "I called them." She shook her head. "It took a little work, but I managed to get that stupid Cheerio, the dark haired one who makes even Brittany feel sorry for her, to find out what was going on. She got me plenty of info, some good, some bad, some none of my business…like did you know that Nelson kid on the hockey team can't pass a piss test to save his life? He is why they stopped drug testing the hockey team. Anyway, once she told me all about the senior NDs leaving school every day to go to court, I was able to put the whole puzzle together. I called Kev & Dev to see if they knew what was going on. When I realized that you three hadn't told anyone else…I debated for a while about calling Bubbie, but then she called to see what I wanted for a Halloween costume this year and I word vomited all over her and boom she and Uncle Saulie are here too."
"Word vomit is never our friend." Sam teased.
She threw him a dark look. "I'm still mad at you three. I'm not a little kid. If I'd known what was going on, I could have helped."
This time I was the one throwing dark looks. "Sarah, you are still a little kid. You may know more than your average fifth grader, but you are still a kid, don't be in such a damn hurry to grow up. Moms and me are doing everything we can to make sure you have this time to be a fucking kid. Sam and Cedes and their parents are too. Don't waste it." I growled.
She rolled her eyes. But Bubbie Ruth totally quick to back me up. "Your brother is right about not trying to grow up too fast. Little girls trying to be women too fast can end up in a world of trouble. There are a lot of good guys in this world, but there are a lot of men like this Tinsley yutz. Men who will take advantage of you, who will hurt you, who will take what isn't their right. Hell there are men even worse than that to be honest…but even more than those dangers, there is just the simple fact that kids today know too much. You lose the ability to see the world with child-like wonder far too early. I grew up really close to poor, but I never knew that. I knew that I had food to eat and a roof over my head. I had my friends and family and I was happy. But once that veil was lifted, once I knew…my mind rewrote my history until happy was just a memory. I didn't remember how much joy I had as a child until I was able to make sure that my children had more than enough of everything." She shook her head. "Sometimes I'd see how little they cared about the overflow and how much enough actually meant. It was a good sight, and it taught me a lot and reminded me about even more. Anyway…all of that to say, why rush the day the blinders of being young fall off. Enjoy being young while you still are."
Sarah looked mutinous, but she finally huffed out a sigh. "Yes, Bubbie."
"Good, now that this is all settled. Let's go grab dinner, then we can hit the Halloween store. We need costumes. Maybe the mall too, I need some retail therapy in the very worst way." Mercedes and Patrice were the only ones who didn't look upset at that prospect. Sarah, Uncle Saul and I knew better.
"Where are the parental units?" I asked hoping to find some reason to avoid the mall with my Bubbie.
"Oh, I sent Becah and George on to temple. Sander, Gabbie, Benton and Danica are all waiting on us to finish up so we can all make a few decisions together." Bubbie sighed. "Let's hurry and talk some things out so we can at least get the kids costumes today. We'll hit the mall tomorrow if the talk runs too late."
We headed down to the playroom where Moms D and Angel Mom were chilling with Bent and Sand-man on the couch watching The Hunger Games. Everyone crashed on the couch and Moms D gave us a smirk. "Did she rip you a new one as hard as she did us?"
"I'm not sitting so comfortably," I joked. "But she loves us, so she didn't go all in on us. There was the threat of taking us to the mall…but we came down here to have some major important family meeting first."
The entire assembled family shared a laugh. Once they settled down and everyone was seated, it was actually Saul who took the floor. "I've been putting out feelers around the schools trying to see where the best housing options are for you guys. But I still need a lot of information about what you guys are looking for. Like how many of you will there be? Just you three? Or will it be you guys and another couple? What amenity is the most important? Will you be bringing your cars with you? Stuff like that."
Mercedes, Sam and I looked at each other. "Man, Unc…that ain't shit we can answer without Klaine and Bartana here too."
Bubbie laughed. "I'm so hoping that those are couple names not individuals. Can you get them here?"
We all shrugged. "I'll hit Kurt and Blaine. Sam you hit Tana, she'll probably have Britts and Artie with her. Puck can you see if Carole and Burt are busy?" Mercedes said as she whipped out her phone.
"If they can't do it tonight, see if they have some time clear tomorrow after church." Moms D pointed out. She then grabbed out her phone. "I'm gonna see if Tessa and Aidan are busy tonight. She knows New York from a teenager's viewpoint and that might help you make some decisions too."
I was shocked and amazed that we got everybody there, including parents in less than an hour. Apparently, COLLEGE, is a magic word for any parent with a kid who is a senior in high school. Benton and Sander ordered in dinner and we barely had time to eat before folks started popping up. The Andersons were the newest additions to our New Directions 'family'. They were the most interesting couple ever. Blaine's dad, William, was old money, like can trace his ancestry back to a Duke or three in old Londontowne, old money. But Blaine's mother, Analyn, was half Filipino and half white. She was cultured, upper middle class and well educated. She didn't give off social climber vibes, but she wasn't quite as twa-twa as the dad. Both were very charming and they seemed to accept the Klaine relationship. I'm not saying they were singing the praises to the heavens that their son was gay, but they didn't seem ready to break out the pitchforks and torches either.
The Lopezes are my favorite of all the parents just to watch. They are nothing like what you'd expect of a Hispanic doctor and his wife. I mean Mrs. Maribel Lopez looks more like a runway model than like even a very affluent doctor's wife. She's always reminded me of a sleeker version of Gloria Estefan, but everyone else says she looks just like a more mature version of her daughter. But Santiago Lopez, now he is the 'odd duck'. At six two, he's only a little shorter than Benton Jones, but he's thinner than anyone that tall should be. Sarah calls him the Spanish Spencer Reid. He is damn near as smart. Had to be to come up out of the ghet and become a doctor. Santana ain't bullshittin' when she says she's from Lima Heights adjacent. Her dad still has relatives in Lima Heights, and her moms still has some in the Latin ghets in Brooklyn and Spanish Harlem. But the reason they don't look like what you expect from a doctor and his wife is that Mrs. Lopez looks like she just stepped off a runway and Dr. Lopez looks like he just wants to take a nap. At his office or during his hospital runs, he's put together and suited up…but in his off hours, he looks like your average tall, lanky shlub.
Brittany's parents are all smiles and happiness. They are still just overjoyed that she is taking her future more seriously. They right off the bat offer to pay for the utilities for their apartment, which means that Santana and Artie will only have to come up with their thirds of the rent. That's kind of awesome. Those two have always creeped me out a little. They look so much alike I've always wondered if the reason Britts is so 'special' is because her parents are like those kids from the Flowers in the Attic series. I mean they look even more alike than Sam and Quinn and those two together were just disturbing. Tall and blonde father, Christopher and tall and blonde mother Melanie had tall and blonde daughter Brittany…creepy.
Roger and Gwen Abrams are so textbook what you'd expect of the parents of Artie. Now a lot of people don't realize it but Artie is Jewish. He was pretty much a high holiday Jew, but a Jew nonetheless. And that shit was real apparent when you saw his parents. His dad was shorter than any other dude in the room, except Blaine and Stevie. He was average height, average build, his glasses were kind of cool, but still they were glasses, and you just know that if he didn't have those special lenses they would be thick as hell. He looked like one of those dudes who coasted through high school, too smart to hang with the jocks, but not noticeable enough to get picked on either. Gwen, however, had always struck me as cannon fodder. She wasn't just average, she was actively nerdtacular. When Mercedes had forced us to join her as she, Sarah and Stacey had watched Clueless; Ms. Giest, before the makeover, immediately brought Artie's mom to my mind. You know the type, good bones, but no clue what the hell to do with it. With a little work, Gwen Abrams could be like the sexy accountant type…but she either didn't know how, or didn't care to…so she just looked like a rundown, over-worked accountant.
By the time every one was assembled, my mom and George were back from temple as well. Saul explained to all the parents and the college bound, hopefully, seniors. "So since we had to come to support Mercedes, Puck and Sam right now…it seemed like it would be a good idea if we could all talk things through and get things figured out together, since the kids obviously are hoping to at the very least live in the same building."
"Well, I know that I would certainly feel more comfortable having Artie so far from home if he is surrounded by his friends." Gwen Abrams spoke up. There must be some history there 'cause Artie, his dad and Santana all gave the chick surprised but proud looks.
"To be honest, I kind of agree with Artie's mother. I mean, I know Kurt will have Blaine with him, and Mercy will have Puck and Sam…but I'd feel better if they had each other too." Burt said with a tiny grin. "After all…it was Mercedes who punched that bully in the throat when he pushed Kurt into the mud puddle when they were younger."
Benton laughed. "Punched him in his mouth too. I think I bought Danica her Burberry bracelet watch with the money I made off fixing that boy's grill. He lost three of his front teeth and two incisors…worse thing was they were all permanents."
"Wait, your daughter punched the kid's teeth out and his parents brought him to you to fix them?" William Anderson asked with a grin.
Danica shrugged. "I don't think the Nelson boy ever told his parents who knocked his teeth down his throat."
"Nelson, it was that douchebag Rick the Stick?" Sam gasped.
"I always thought it was a hockey puck that knocked out his teeth." Brittany marveled.
"That's what he tells people." Santana groused. "I cannot wait to let the whole world know that he got his ass beat by a chick."
"Ok Santana, a, don't draw a target on your friend's back. B, you're enjoying that a little too much…and c, let's get back to the matter at hand." Angel Mom laughed drawing everyone's attention back to Uncle Saul.
Saul took the floor back, and forced us back to the matter at hand. "Now we'll still have to figure out things like what amenities they'll need, and who will be living with whom. Based on what Puck told me has been discussed between the kids, my contacts have mainly been looking at places for Mercedes, Sam and Puck with the two boys, and the other threesome in the same building. Given Artie's needs, I've had them looking exclusively at buildings with elevators and ground level entrances. To save my piece of mind, I've also scoped out the ones that at least have secure entrances, if not doormen."
"Let's keep it real, can we afford a building with a doorman?" Cedes asked giving him a side eye.
"If you aren't trying to live in off Central Park, it is on the steeper end of the rents, but it could be doable." Saul gave her a smile. "Anyway, what I need from you all is a list of what amenities you're looking for. Break it down into what you HAVE to have to survive, what you'd love but can live without, and what you don't give a rat's patoot about. I would prefer it if we have just two lists for the two separate apartments, but also let me tell you all that so far we've been able to find three listings that meet the broad specifications and would work for all eight of you…with careful furniture purchasing anyway."
"Coffee and end tables need rounded edges, and if there is a step down or up into any rooms you'll have to build in ramps…if the landlord will allow it. Thirty to thirty six inches of clearance space in the doorways and around corners wherever possible." Gwen began only to trail off. "Oh sorry." She murmured.
"No…that's fine." Santana said gently. I was kind of shocked, I mean, the whole group, except Artie has heard her bitching and moaning about how controlling his mother can be. But I guess she may not like the way the woman treated the man they both loved, but she did know that Gwen loved Artie and would be a wealth of knowledge about how to make their apartment work for him.
"Great. I also need each set of parents to band together and decide with your kid exactly how much you are willing to contribute to the household expenses each month so we can figure out how much apartment they can afford. I haven't looked at any where three to five roommates would have more than a seventeen-eighteen hundred a month contribution to the base rent each. That isn't inclusive of utilities though." Saul told them honestly.
I watched as Angel Mom and the Sand man gave each other small, 'we'll make it work' smiles. Things had gotten better for them in a hell of a lot of ways, but that would still be a real strain on their finances. But before I could even try to figure out what to say to make them understand that there was nothing to worry about; if I had to work two jobs, I'd make sure Sam's ass was covered; William Anderson spoke up. "Well, Ana and I have already budgeted five for Blaine's contribution to the household. I'd be willing to bump that up to six if there is the need. Especially if that puts them in a building with a doorman."
Sander sighed. "Okay…how many of you in this room are already trying to figure out how to phrase a similar statement so that you don't hurt a southerner's pride?"
One by one most of the other parents and Kurt raised their hands. Sam threw a throw pillow at out flamboyant friend. Kurt caught it daintily, and gave Sam a smile. "You were willing to sing with me no matter what it would do you your popularity; you allowed me to dress you like you were my own little Ken doll when your family was living in the hotel, and yes I know it was more for my benefit than yours no matter what you may claim; but most of all you make my best friend happier than she has ever been in all the years I've known her, and you make Puck act like a Homo Sapien rather than a Neolithic Neanderthal…if it helps to keep you three together, I will do whatever it takes. Besides, my grandmother left me a ridiculous trust fund to use for college, and my father is a mechanic who can work on even the most rare of classic imports and he has taught me everything he knows. I think I will be able to help a friend in need."
Cedes crawled over to him, and gave him a huge hug. I may have popped half a tent watching her sexy ass wriggle as she crawled, but I shook it off. "Since you're such good people, Hummel, I won't flick you off for that Neanderthal crack." I said giving him a lazy smile.
He threw the pillow at me. Bubbie Ruth plucked it out the air. "Why are the elementary age kids better behaved than the high school seniors?" she asked everyone and no one in particular. "Anyway, back to the matter at hand. Don't worry about Sander or Gabby being all 'I couldn't possibly accept', they will do whatever it takes to make sure that Sam can take advantage of the opportunity he's being given. Besides if they want, we'll all keep a mental tally and Sam can pay anybody back when they are rich and famous. Oh while I have the floor, let me tell you all that the Evans, Jones, and Puckermans will all be coming to the city to look at the places before Christmas, Saul has guaranteed us that he will have a short list by then."
"I, for one, want to take a second to thank Ruth and Saul Mayzer." Carole said drawing all eyes to her big smile. "As long as I've known him Kurt has wanted to go to college in New York, and while he may be looking more at Juilliard and Tisch now rather than the Fashion institute, the moment I became a part of his family, I started wracking my brain for ways I could help him make his dream come true. I'm from a town even smaller than Lima; I had no way at all to really look into this kind of thing for him. So thank you, thank you both so very much for taking time out of your lives to help all of us. And I know that it benefits Noah too…but still."
Bubbie Ruth went over and gave Carole a big hug. "You Carole Hudson-Hummel have a beautiful soul. You were always there to help my Rebecah and Noah when he and Finn were little and he was dragging your poor son into all sorts of trouble. Even if Noah wasn't going to benefit, all you would have had to do was let me know that you needed the help."
"You two are gonna make the pregnant woman cry." Moms D groaned. "Let's get back to sending my baby off to live in the big city. Now Saul…my baby is a diva so location is key. She is gonna need good take-out nearby…the healthy kind though. And a good drycleaner…I will buy them a washer and dryer myself if you can find them someplace with the hookups in the apartment. "
Burt laughed. "I'll chip in on that one myself, and if the kids ask nicely, I'll even be nice and keep Mercedes in that seriously expensive, organic, oh so special detergent they swear by."
"You mean that stuff that makes all Mercy's lingerie feel almost as soft and silky as her pretty brown skin?" Sam said breathlessly. I could totally understand why he sounded like that. Just the thought of Sexy Mama in some of her soft ass silk and lace while Sam and I were making love to her…Damn.
"Pull it on back, son…we've still got stuff to talk through." Sander teased with a laugh. All the men in the room joined him.
We got down to business and by the time people started heading home, we were pretty much settled. Saul was going to see if it was really a workable thing for all eight of us to live together comfortably. If not then it would be Commune and Klaine, with Brartana in the same building at worst, on the same floor at best. We knew that while Mercedes would be taking the Tahoe and Blaine would be getting a compact car for his graduation gift, Kurt would be leaving his Baby in Lima, and Santana's parents were going to furnish their apartment rather than trusting her not to get road rage in Manhattan. Since our families, especially Moms D's, were already working on the big as registry, Benton, Sander, George and Burt were going to go in together to furnish the Commune/Klaine domicile if we ended up split. My whole big ass family were going to spend the week before Christmas celebrating Chanukah with my Mayzer relatives and looking at apartments before we, including Bubbie and Uncle Saul, flew back here to Lima for the actual holiday. Kurt and Santana quickly asked if it would be ok if they joined us. Brittany wanted to but her family always went to her grandparents for Christmas, and she'd be leaving as soon as school let out for the break. She didn't tell us which set of grandparents it was, and I didn't want to ask in case both sets of her grandparents were the same two people.
In all of that we also hammered out the needs versus the wants versus the 'don't give a shits' on the amenity front. We needed at least laundry facilities in the building, convenient parking, a secured entrance, cable ready and a 'kick ass' kitchen. We wanted washer and dryer in unit, green space nearby, a quick trip to the subway and onsite management and maintenance. We didn't care about whether they allowed pets, we didn't want any anyway. A fitness center in the building would also be badass…but it wasn't a deal breaker either.
Mercedes Point of View
Man, the weekend was busy as hell. Between the SAT study session, getting told off by half my family, the impromptu apartment-thon Saturday evening and then church, Halloween costume shopping, regular retail therapy and family bonding Sunday…not to mention that for some reason I was feeling all kinds of insatiable all weekend, I was exhausted Monday morning. I got up and got dressed, but I didn't even try to look fly. I knew that we could get called to go in for the verdict, so I wore a nice dress, but I barely bothered with makeup, pulled my weave back into a sleek, low pony, and the only jewelry I wore was my cross. Puck and Sam were just as bad. They took their ties and jackets with them, but they left them in the SUV and just wore slacks and shirts through the halls. We were all a little distracted. We knew that when the jury was ready to come back, Bradley would call my parents' dental office and Gabby would sound the trumpets, including getting the principal to call us all up to leave.
I think we were all getting more and more on edge as time went by. Eventually we made it to glee, and I'm pretty sure that we all let out a sigh of relief. The seniors were all relieved that we were pretty sure we wouldn't be called to leave that late in the day, and the youngers were all glad they wouldn't have to be in study hall again. As soon as the bell rang, everyone pounced on Kurt. "Alright, Lady Face…what is the final decision?" Santana asked shouting over everyone else.
I was rocked by the realization that in all that had been going on with the trial; I had completely forgotten that we were supposed to find out which set list Kurt had ultimately decided on. I couldn't believe that something that vital had slipped my mind. Fortunately it hadn't slipped Kurt's. "Very well, Santana, since you asked so nicely." He drawled sarcastically. "It was a horribly difficult decision. I mean, not only are there so many wonderful choices, but the different combinations…well finally deciding on just three was almost my undoing…but I managed. Sam, Blaine…do you two think you could arrange the Johnny Cash/Nine Inch Nails Hurt psuedo Mashup for the entire choir, with you two as the leads?"
"Are you sure Kurt?" Sam asked. He is such a good man and such a good friend. He knows that Kurt is almost as desperate for a competition lead as I am.
Kurt gave Sam a happy grin. "I am positive. That performance was just enlivening. Besides, we're doing things differently now. It might be country and alterna-rock, but it's time to show everyone that the New Directions are more than 80s hair bands and bubblegum pop. Besides, I defy anyone to claim that Johnny Cash isn't a legend…even Trent Rezner is far more than a simple musician. That being said and in that same vein, Mercedes, Arthur…I have created a similar blend of the Beatles and Aretha Franklin's Eleanor Rigby for the two of you to lead."
I squealed and had to give my boi some love. "Don't you worry about a thing…me and Artie got that." I said confidently.
"Hell yeah we do." Artie cosigned. "Oh and just to shock the shit out of everyone, Cede will be taking the Beatles mellow part while I pay all kinds of respect to the Indomitable Ms. Franklin."
Kurt smirked. "Artie, you actually read my mind. But wait, there's more. For the last song, each and every senior New Direction member will have a feature."
"We're doing We Are the World!" Tina screamed even as Finn shouted the same thing. Their happiness was contagious and we turned into a class of crazed kindergarteners; hopping around and giggling like mad.
Shelby gave us a few of much needed hilarity before forcing us to focus. "Kurt, I am impressed. You not only did a wonderful job catering to the given theme, but you did so while pulling legends from across the musical spectrum. Good job. But we cannot spend the rest of class congratulating Kurt. We have sectionals in five weeks. Let's get to work." Kurt handed out his arrangements, and Sam and Blaine went to work with Shelby to figure out exactly how to handle the addition of twenty other voices in such a way that it wouldn't leave any section of the chorus under or over powered. Artie and I grabbed out sheet music and went to work tweaking things and sectioning out the different parts we just 'had to' sing. It was a crazy productive class and by the end of it Brittany and Mike had downloaded all three songs and begun to rough out the choreography.
Just before the bell rang, Shelby called us all back together. "Now sectionals are a very different animal from Nationals…each school can bring as many soloist for the singles competition as they would like, so I encourage any senior who would like to please feel free to compete. However, Mercedes, Kurt, Artie, Tina, Santana…you are not encouraged…you have no choice; you will each need to prepare two solos for the competition. However…I fully expect McKinley to have the top four or five spots in both the male and female vocalist categories. For the underclassmen, I want you to prep groups. There are duet, trio and quartet competitions. I'm sure that we can make a sweep of the entire competition if we have a group in every category. Mercedes, Sam, Puck and Santana, Artie, Brittany…I'd like you two 'thruples' to create a trio competition piece, Kurt and Blaine…the duets. Steven, I would appreciate it if you and one of the girls would do Same Love." The smirk on Shelby's face gave truth to her next words. "It won't win, but I want it sung. We'll probably do it at Regionals and Nationals in the duets rounds too."
"That's so cool." Steven breathed. "I know we don't have like any time before…but that song changed my life, man…for real. Now when I get ready to post shit, it totally makes me stop and think about how I say that junk."
"Good." Ms. Cochran said with a proud grin. "All too often people give no care to the simple humanity of others when they post comments online. The person you are commenting on is a human being with feelings. Everyone needs to learn the lesson that while we are all entitled to our opinion…we don't have the right to stamp on others hearts and minds just because they differ from us." The bell ringing seemed to punctuate her statement and we were all looking thoughtful as we separated for the day.
Puck and Sam gave me wonderful, deep, passionate kisses then headed off for Titan's practice. I raced to the gym and changed for Cheerio practice. Those kisses were the last bits of wonderful I had that day. Cheerio practice was hell. And the worst part was that the people I know Sue expected to be distracted as hell; me, Tana, Britts, Quinn, Kurt, Tessa, and the nibletts…Stacey and Sarah were all fine. It was the rest of the squad that turned into bumbling idiots. They kept fumbling their moves and dropping each other. Finally it was just too much. Coach Sylvester went totally off the rails. She pulled Stacey and Sarah to the front and whispered in their ear for a hot minute. The munchkins stepped back and did the routine she must have given them…words only…and they pulled it off flawlessly.
She looked at all of her panting and cringing Cheerios, "Two toddlers are better Cheerios than ninety three percent of you. Now, I get it you are soft and week and most of you are dumber than the bag of Schuester's hair that Little Orphan Emma keeps under her bed. But last Thursday you were all performing at or very close to my expectations. Friday night at the game, you actual made me less embarrassed to admit that I am your coach. We are one month from the State Cheerleading Championship, we should be polishing…not learning this stuff. Now, I want every one of you pathetic excuses for teenagers who has missed more than one mark, dropped a catch, missed a toss, missed a toe touch or otherwise assaulted my senses to stand up and take four laps around the practice field. Then you're to come back in here and go through the warm up calisthenics…twice. Then get your wobbly asses back into first position." Sue shouted angrily.
She gave a look at the Gleerios that conveyed that we didn't have to run. Thank God…but when the rest came back in we did do one set of the warm up calisthenics with them in the name of solidarity. Then she ran us through the entire routine until we all thought we would drop. In fact, after using the last of my energy washing away the three and a half hours of exertion, I didn't even make it to the car. Fortunately, Sam and Puck had grown tired of waiting and come to see what on earth was taking me so long. Sam swung me up into his arms, despite my protests. He carried me to the car and Puck drove us home. Then Puck carried me up to my room. They worked together stripping off the comfortable clothes I'd put on after my locker room shower, massaging lotion into my skin and deeper into my tired aching muscles…putting me to bed.
I awoke the next morning more energized than the day before and somehow certain that soon everything would be over and life could go back to normal. I clung to that thought as I got dressed and did my hair. It proved to be a prophetic feeling. Just before the bell ending second period rang, Principal Figgins called all the usual subjects to the front to sign out. He always called us up as a group and either called Tinsley before he called us or after we left. Something actually told me that he would have done that even without the restraining order the judge had given at the start of the trial. Joe came to the front and sent us all off with prayer again.
When we got to the courthouse, I was shocked to find Triple S waiting with the family. Sam leaned down, "They love you and they want to be here with you when you hear the verdict. Maybe seeing him go to jail will help them stop worryin'." He whispered.
I nodded. "I wasn't gonna say anything except keep the three of them as far away from the Tinsley men as possible."
Puck gave me a wicked grin that filled me with strength and warmth. Then he pulled out his phone and gave the entire New Direction assemblage as well as K, D, Patrice and Tonya my instructions. I felt better knowing that that many of us would be watching out for them. We were ushered into the courtroom and seated so quickly we didn't even have time to talk to Bradley or Merchaud. Almost immediately the bailiff was leading the jury in and telling us all to stand for Judge Racine. She called us to order, had Shane and his attorney stand, and thanked the jury again for their service before she asked if they had reached a verdict. The tall, thick, light skinned woman who'd been shooting evil glares at the defense attorney pretty much since her opening statements stood. "We have your honor." She passed a folded sheet of paper to the judge.
Judge Racine read it and passed it back. As soon as the bailiff placed it back in the foreman's hand, Judge Racine spoke again. "In the matter of the State of Ohio versus Shane Williams Tinsley on the count of sexual imposition, how do you find?"
"We, the jury, find the defendant guilty, your honor." She said clearly.
Shane looked angry, but his attorney put a quelling hand on his arm. "And on the count of Stalking by use of virtual or 'cyber' mediums?"
"We, the jury, find the defendant guilty, your honor."
"On the count of Menace by Stalking?" Judge Racine asked solemnly.
"Guilty your honor." Her tone was cool and her voice calm.
I realized that my hands were wrapped in Sam's and Puck's much larger ones and they were allowing me to squeeze the hell out of them as we listened. "On the final count of Gross Sexual Imposition?"
The juror gave the Judge a serene look. Like she was completely at ease with the final verdict. "We, the jury, find the defendant, Shane Williams Tinsley, guilty of gross sexual imposition."
"That's some bullshit." Shane yelled. "That fucking whore can't tell me I can't have her. She's giving it away to those fucking white boys. She's just an uppity nigga cunt who needs to learn her fucking place." He finally shut up then. Not because he wanted to...but because the bailiff stunned him. I looked back and was very, very happy to see that Patrice, Kurt and Bubbie Ruth had covered Triple S's ears.
The judge called for a recess. "Attorney Keating, perhaps when your client comes around, you might find out if he would prefer his sentencing be handled by the jury or by the bench." Then she turned to Bradley. "I will be ready to hear the case for his sentence in one hour."
It was too early for lunch for most of us, but elementary students eat lunch really early, so we spent just over half of that hour at Chick-fil-A again. When we got back Bradley and Merchaud were waiting for us, "Whether he decides on the judge or the jury setting his sentence, we will need several of you to take the stand and explain to the judge, if they have any sense at all, why you want them to throw the book at him."
Both of my brothers stepped forward. Every single one of my friends and family wanted to speak. Finally Artie, Quinn and Kurt were chosen from among them. Momma knew that there was no way she would be able to be coherent, or worse, not get arrested, so Rebekah asked if it would be okay if she took the stand instead. Of course Daddy wasn't gonna let this go down without him. Despite the arguments of the others, Bradley cut them off at seven. They were taken to a room and sworn in. They rejoined us as we were ushered into the court. We were called back to order, for what we all hoped was the last time. "Ms. Keating, would you client prefer to have his sentence determined by the jury or by me?"
"Your Honor, my client apologizes for his outburst. He was stricken distraught by the verdict. We would like to ask that the bench handle the sentencing portion of the trial."
"Very well." She said nicely before turning to the prosecution table.
Bradley went first again, asking for the maximum on all charges. He started with Rebekah. "Mrs. Puckerman, you volunteered to speak on behalf of the victim…Please tell the judge why you feel that Mr. Tinsley deserves the heaviest of sentences."
"Mercedes Jones is a wonderful young woman. She is kind and considerate. She is a blessing to everyone she touches. I've watched her with my daughter and Sam's younger siblings. She truly loves with a joy that is inspirational. The basis for that ability to love is an inherent trust in the basic goodness of her fellow man. Mr. Tinsley would have damaged, if not erased that trust." Rebekah said with a serene smile.
"Mrs. Puckerman," Keating began, "Do you really think it is a good idea to have someone of Miss Jones moral turpitude around your young daughter?"
"Ms. Keating, how have you made it you your age without any ability to listen…Mercedes Jones moral virtuousness, decency and integrity is without question. Unlike that young man over there…he needs to be in prison. He needs to be raped by every big ass man who wants him…because if he thinks that his size means that he gets what he wants, then those men in prison should get to have just what they want. His sense of entitlement is scary. Let him learn now that, yes a person should work hard and when they do, they get to enjoy the benefits…but not at the expense of someone else." Keating looked like she swallowed a lemon as she let Bekah return to her seat.
After Keating took her seat, Bradley called Daddy. "Dr. Jones, what do you feel would be a fair and just sentence for the defendant?"
Daddy looked at the judge. "If he had shown one iota of remorse, I'd probably ask that you go easy on him. But he truly doesn't see anything wrong with what he tried to do to my baby girl. He needs to learn that what he did is wrong and that no one should ever try to force their will on another. I need him to get as long a sentence as possible for another reason…I need him to stay in prison until the Lord sees fit to bless me with the strength to forgive him. Because if he comes back after my daughter, he will have to go through me and her husbands' fathers to be able to go through her husbands to get to her. I will do everything in my power to ensure that he is never in a position to come after her again if that happens." He turned and looked at the judge. "I'll be honest with you, Your Honor, if there were any legal way to do it, I'd be yelling for his father to join him. People with that attitude are not born, they are created…and that ignorant ass of a man raised his son to believe that women are worthless unless it is as creatures to slake men's lust or bare men's children. That's a sick, sad way to think and if it isn't criminal to raise a child believing that garbage, it sure as hell should be." Then Daddy had a thought. "I'm not trying to give the little –punk- an excuse for what he did. I just think his father shares dome culpability for turning what might have been a caring young man into a rampant, psychotic bastard."
Attorney Bradley thanked my father for his honesty and Keating stood. "Dr. Jones, if Mr. Tinsley shares the guilt of his son…why do you not share the responsibility for the way your daughter behaves? Did you and your wife raise her to be a whore?"
Daddy actually laughed. "Look Lady, my wife and I raised our children to have a strong moral compass. But we also raised them to learn all the information they could, assess the situation, their feelings, and the information and make the best decision for them. We raised them to be in complete control of themselves and their own sexuality. Just as I was raised and just as my wife was raised. My daughter is not a whore, she is a young lady who is so beautiful and amazing and caring and intelligent and whose heart is so big and bright that she attracted two wonderful young men and they all fell in love. We raised her to be a young woman who is confident and in complete control of her sexuality. She holds herself above the games most young women her age seem to revel in. She has told you, and the boys she has chosen to spend the rest of her life with have told you that she has only ever been with the two of them. That is, by the very definition of the word the opposite of a whore. Anyone who thinks otherwise is either deluded or just completely insane."
Keating released him with a glare, and Bradley called Kevon to the stand. He asked my eldest brother the same question. Kevon smiled. "My little sister is amazing. She has a light that radiates from within her and a presence to her that can make any day brighter and better. I've been trying my best to protect that light since the day my parents brought her home from the hospital. That misbegotten bastard over there tried to kill that light…because 'he wanted her'. He ain't the first man to want her and he won't be the last. I've seen the reaction men have to her. Since she was twelve years old, I've seen that. I've beaten some of my own friends up when we were younger for looking at her inappropriately. But not a single one of them disrespected her, treated her like that, called her out her name like that. And the worst thing is that it didn't stop with 'one bad choice'; he was stalking her. He was going to rape my little sister. He was going to steal her light away. He was going to darken my entire world. Because he wants her. Well I don't give a damn what he wants. He needs to learn that we don't always get what we want. It builds character, something the defendant is sorely lacking. He can gain some thanks to the penal system of the great state of Ohio, and hopefully thanks to a huge cellmate named Bubba or Debo or Tiny. I want him to understand, to gain first-hand experience with what he tried to do to my baby sister." Then it was Keating's chance to ask a question.
"Mr. Jones…as a young black man, do you really want to see this eighteen year old boy be sentenced to the life of an ex con and registered sex offender?"
"No, I'd rather see him dead before he stalks and rapes and maybe even kills someone. I will settle for him going to jail for a long, long time." Kevon said his voice filled with quiet rage. She seemed thrown by the vehemence of his anger. "And I don't particularly care for any grown ass woman who would keep referring to a young lady by that despicable word you've called my sister more than once."
Keating looked aghast at being called on her bullshit, but she quickly shook it off. "You haven't been here for the bulk of the trial. Why is that?"
Kevon gave her a chilling smile. "Because my sister knows I would live, kill and die for her. I would certainly think nothing of risking my freedom to make sure that your client pays for what he did do and for what he tried to do to my sister. She didn't tell us because she feared, probably rightly so, that if we knew the 'young black man with the promising future who ended up in jail would be me or our brother…maybe both of us."
Devon took the stand next and his response to Bradley's query was pretty similar to Kevon's. While their words did differ, the anger and hatred underlying them did not. Keating asked him why he felt that Shane's future should be ruined. He answered with a growl, "Because he tried to ruin my little sister's future. I've volunteered at a battered woman's shelter; my fiancée has worked on a support line for victims of rape and molestations. I know that even those who make it to the point where they are called survivors are altered by the event. I don't want that for Mercedes. I don't want that for any woman really, but sure as hell not my little sister. Besides as I understand it, she isn't his first and if he isn't punished…well and truly punished…she won't be his last."
Keating released him with a frown. Bradley called Kurt to the stand after Devon and his question to Kurt was phrased differently, "Mr. Hummel I think the court understands that you want justice to be served here, but why do want Mr. Tinsley sentenced harshly?"
"Because he tried, repeatedly, to take away one of the most special people I know. I don't have any doubt that if Shane Tinsley had gotten his hands on Mercedes, he would not have rested until he'd broken her. And that 'diva don't break easy'. I shudder to think what that would have meant for my friends, all three of them, because if Mercedes were gone neither Sam nor Noah would have been able to come back from that loss. Shane Tinsley has all the classic signs of being a horrible and deadly narcissist. Much like Kev and Dev, I would love nothing less than for him to go to prison, be forced to take a shower with very, very large men and he drops the soap with regularity. I want him to know what he put that other poor girl through. I want him dead so that he is never again a threat to my best friend, my fashion soulmate."
"Very well, Mr. Hummel, you want Mr. Tinsley to be punished?"
"To the fullest extent of the law." Kurt interrupted.
"Why is Mercedes Jones' life so much more important than Mr. Tinsley's?"
Kurt rolled his eyes. "Because Mercedes Jones is worth fifty of that pathetic, fashion defunct, troglodytic sasquatch or his even more insane father, and father in law to be. She has come to the aid of more people than that selfish prick has even met. Mercedes loved me when I was still afraid to love myself. She saved me, even when I was too foolish to realize that I needed saving or when I was too obtuse to realize that I was only hurting myself. When the Assistant District Attorney asked for people to speak today, he had twenty-seven immediate options. How many people could you find willing to say something positive about that thing over there?"
Artie was called forward after Kurt stepped down. He was even more virulent in his description of what he would like Shane Tinsley's ultimate fate to be. "I will be honest, if that stupid muther father over there had hurt my vocal soulmate, my sister from another mister, any more than he did…I would have made sure that he ended up wishing he was rolling around like me."
"Mr. Abrams…please refrain from making threats against the defendant. I understand that they come from a place of love, but remember this is a court of law. At least veil them like her father and brothers have." Judge Racine said with a kind sternness.
"Sorry your honor." Artie whispered. "It's just that Mercedes is such a great person. I want to hurt anybody who hurts her. But even more than that Sam and Puck are my boys. Every day for the last six years, I've watched as undeserved guilt over something that wasn't her fault has torn my mother apart. She feels horrible that she wasn't able to prevent the accident that put me in this chair, even though she did nothing to cause it. Like her, Puck and Sam would never get over not being able to keep their woman from the kind of pain Tinsley had in mind for her." after that discourse, Keating didn't even bother asking him anything.
Quinn presented a compelling witness on the stand. When asked what sentence she, as a friend of mine, felt Shane Tinsley deserves. "He deserves the worst sentence it is possible to give him. I, personally, have no problem with reopening Alcatraz just for him and others like him."
"Miss Fabray, it is rather understandable that the 'gentlemen' who've spoke have been drawn into Miss Jones' web, but as a young lady, why are you so adamant about the desire to see my client's life destroyed?" Keating asked getting in another dig at me that I had to ignore.
Que gave her the Queen Quinn smile before answering. "To answer that, I have to give you my history with Mercedes Jones. I was horrible to her. I made her life a living hell because she wasn't popular, because she looked different from everything I was told was beautiful, everything I had worked so hard to become and yet every male watched her everywhere she went. Yet when I needed a friend, when all of mine were treating me like a social pariah, Mercedes came to me and offered not just her friendship; she became more of a sibling to me than my own at that time. She gave me a place to live when I needed one and she shared not only her house, but her family with me and continues to do so to this day. The reason Kurt, who if you couldn't tell is gay as a Pride parade, Artie and the rest of our friends…male or female…are so determined and so willing to speak about Mercedes and make sure that Shane Tinsley is put behind bars is because she is worthy of all the love in this world. She gives so much and takes so little…how could we not love her and want her safe."
Judge Racine looked thoughtful as she turned the floor over to Ms. Keating for the witnesses on Tinsley's behalf. His father spoke again, spewing the same hatred and looking at me like I was scum on the bottom of his shoe. I looked back at him making sure that I let all my feelings of disdain shine in my eyes. Mr. Dahl spoke on his behalf as did his wife. Tiffany didn't take the stand again, and Shane's mother only asked that they try to get him help for his attitudes towards women. We thought that Keating was done, when she turned to the gallery and said something that made us all gasp with shock. "Your Honor, I call Rachel Berry to the stand."
Ain't I a Stinker...a cliff hanger for no reason.
Drop me a review and tell me how you feel about that.
TTFN
Anni
