A/N: An anon provided, 'She couldn't do this anymore. Rachel Berry was joining the Troubletones.' Thanks!
She couldn't do this anymore. Rachel Berry was joining the Troubletones. All she had to do was to find Mercedes or Santana, even Shelby if she was desperate. It was going to be awkward working with her mother, but it's what she had to do. She just... Couldn't be around the New Directions anymore.
"I know I'm going to have to make some sacrifices," she announced as a greeting when she found Mercedes, Santana, and Brittany in the bathroom.
Santana glared at her through the mirror, pausing the application of her eyeliner, "What the hell are you talking about now?"
Rachel smiled at Mercedes, then turned to Santana, aware of Brittany watching her through the mirror as well. She licked her lips, raising her chin. "I want to join the Troubletones."
Mercedes was already shaking her head. "Oh hell no. You are not barging in and taking over!"
"No. Uh uh. No." Shaking her head as well, Santana whirled around to glare at Rachel directly, "No way."
Having expected that reaction, Rachel held up her hands. "Please, that's not what I'm asking. I know Troubletones is yours. I'm," she swallowed, averting her eyes, "I'm willing to take a background role."
"Hah! As if." Scoffing, Santana stared her down.
Rachel shook her head, "I'm not lying. Please, just hear me out. I can explain – "
"Oh come on, Rachel," Mercedes took a step forward to come shoulder to shoulder with Santana. Crossing her arms, she glared accusingly at her, "You're fooling no one. You're just feeling jealous and threatened that we're the better group, so you're bailing ship."
"Yeah," Santana nodded arrogantly, eyebrows high and taunting, "It's pathetic."
Looking back and forth between them, Rachel tried once again. "Yes, I'm aware my reasoning could look like that, especially with past circumstances, but I assure you that's not why I'm here. I just can't deal with the New Directions anymore, and – "
"Oh?" Santana regarded her disbelievingly, anger growing as she interrupted Rachel, "So you don't even care who it is you join?"
"What? No. That's not what I meant."
"But it's what you said." Sounding final, Mercedes shook her head. "C'mon girls," she turned to give Rachel one last unimpressed look, "Let's get out of here. We have Sectionals to win. And we don't need you to do it."
Turning to leave as well, Santana stared at Rachel coolly. "Run back to your overgrown boyfriend, hobbit. At least he's someone who pretends to want you with him."
Watching them go, Rachel closed her eyes when Brittany slowly approached. "What do you want, Brittany?" she asked quietly, dropping her head and pressing her chin into her shoulder, "Want to add your own parting words?"
"No." Sounding troubled, a light touch to the back of Rachel's hand made Rachel look up; when she did, she was surprised to feel a couple of tears escape her eyes. Brittany frowned at her, looking concerned. "It's not like they said?" she asked.
Laughing humorlessly, Rachel jerkily shrugged her shoulders. "No." Her lower lip trembled, and she used her free hand to swipe at the wetness in her eyes. "I want to be in the Troubletones because of who – what – they," her lips curled up, and she met Brittany's gaze, "You are."
Taking a deep breath, Brittany pursed her lips. Finally, she shrugged. "Okay. Let's go see your mom."
"What?" Rachel stared at her.
"Rachel." Looking directly at her, Brittany smiled and squeezed her hand, "I know how it feels to be with people you don't want to be around. Like most of the Cheerios." Her nose wrinkled. "Or the water polo jocks. They're mean.
"Besides," she added, turning to start pulling Rachel out of the bathroom and sliding her hand more securely around Rachel's, "I already know I can sing better than you, so I'm not threatened."
Not knowing how to react to that, Rachel tightened her grip around Brittany's hand and sped up to walk next to her. "Thank you," she whispered.
Brittany smiled down at her, "No problem. But, now, you can help me convince Santana to fully commit to coming out already." She sighed, expression falling. "I want her to be able to give me sweet lady kisses without needing to use the janitor's closet. Everyone knows we're together, already, anyway..." she trailed off, mumbling.
Blinking, Rachel shifted her hand up to take Brittany's arm. She smiled up at her, "I'll see what I can do."
