Chapter 16: The Brave, The Stupid, and The Cowardly

On Monday morning, Finn has some people to talk to. Up first is Holly Holliday. He finds her in her classroom, setting up for the day. He walks in and hands her a wad of cash.

"Here's your money back. Thanks for your help on Friday."

She smiles widely and puts the money away. "Any time! It was an odd request, to be sure. I've never had anyone ask if they can rob me ahead of time, before. But I think I was convincing to the police. I just played a dumb blonde who stupidly walked away from her boyfriend after a movie and got robbed by an unseen man."

Finn chuckles. "Your boyfriend was okay with it?"

"Once I explained to Carl why I was agreeing to it, he was very supportive. Did it work?"

Finn shoves his hands in his pockets. "It seemed to. I guess time will tell."

"Are you sure you're not going to get in any trouble?"

"Nah. The police came to my house on Friday night. My mom insisted I'd been home all night with my friends. And my friends were still there playing games with me, so it was pretty convincing."

Holly points to his hand. "And your injury? It looks like you were punching someone repeatedly. Which you were."

He shrugs. "Yeah, but we had that covered. There's a dent in my metal bookshelf. We just told them I got mad about losing a round in a game and punched it. My friends even laughed and teased me about it, so it was extra convincing."

"That's good to hear. I hope that asshat leaves Rachel alone, now."

"Me, too."

Holly sits on the edge of her desk and frowns. "What will you do if he doesn't?"

"I'm not sure. I'd be happy to keep beating him up, but eventually I'd be caught. Then I wouldn't be there for Rachel. Besides, she'd be upset if I got in trouble or got hurt or something. I think there are some other guys who would be happy to beat him up for me. But I also think if he tries anything else with her the police will finally be able to approve the restraining order. I kind of also think some other adults will get involved."

"Like your stepdad?"

Finn laughs. "Yeah. He's my stepdad, but he's Rachel's Dad in all the ways that matter. He's prepared to take a crowbar to Rick's head to get him to stop. And Scott. And her uncles and grandfather and cousin. Yeah, she's got plenty of people ready to threaten him and beat him up if he tries anything else."

"And that's a big if. I already heard a rumor that he has a broken nose and rib." Holly smirks and shakes her head. "It just goes to show you shouldn't fight back when being robbed."

Finn laughs and thanks her one more time before leaving. Before he finds the second person on his list, he sees his girlfriend. She's at the end of the hall, walking towards her locker. She turns to Kurt and laughs at something he says. His stomach flips in a good way and he grins. His future wife. Completely forgetting about the second person he's supposed to be looking for, he walks up to Rachel and kisses her. She hums happily and wraps her arms around his neck. Her eyes scan his face, focusing on his bruised jaw. When she frowns, he kisses her again.

"I'm fine. It's minor."

"What else?"

"Just my leg. The one on my stomach is already almost gone. I'm fine. I promise."

Rachel smiles up at him, her eyes shining. "My hero."

They kiss, ignoring Kurt's dramatic sounds of disgust and annoyance, until the bell rings. It's only when he's sitting in class that he remembers he's supposed to be thanking another person for Friday night. Whoops. One of his friends on the JV team agreed to be "robbed" as well and he needs to thank them and hand back their money. He'll do that after class.

XxxxxxxxxxxxxxxX

Rumors spread around the school by lunchtime. Rumors of the multiple "muggings" that happened outside the movie theater on Friday night. Rumors of Rick Nelson being beaten up. Speculation as to why. Those in the know tossed out more ridiculous theories, just to keep the rumor mill flowing with baseless, yet amusing, claims. Rick was telling anyone who would listen that Finn Hudson beat him up. He'd called the police and his parents. He'd been taken to the hospital and treated for a broken nose, a broken rib, and multiple bruises and minor cuts. He insisted Finn did it. But since he was found with an empty wallet and several other people had called the police that night to report being robbed outside the theater, the police determined that Rick was making a baseless claim just to get Finn in trouble. They still went and questioned Finn, but he had an alibi. Mr. and Mrs. Nelson reportedly threatened to sue the Hudsons and the police force if it turns out Rick is telling the truth. The police politely…..if not a tad irritably…..reminded them that when Rick was accused of attacking someone, he had his parents as his alibi. And that there's a pending restraining order against Rick, as well as several complaints that he has been threatening and harassing a female classmate. And that perhaps he should make wiser choices.

XxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxX

Rick did not get the sympathy he'd expected for his injuries and obvious attack. When he ranted about Hudson doing this to him, and his friends supporting him, his classmates tuned him out. Some even told him to shut up or walked away. No one believed him. Even those that seemed like they might believe him shrugged and said he deserved it. How did his life fall apart? He's ignored, insulted, laughed at, and not believed. His reputation has been trashed. Most of his friends have deserted him. The future he was counting on has been ripped away from him. And why? Finn Hudson. And what made Hudson fight him? Rachel Berry. Those two are the bane of his existence and the cause of all his frustrations.

Something needs to change. It looks like things won't change on their own, which means he's going to have to take matters into his own hands. He knows he'll be expelled. Probably arrested, too. But he figures it's worth a few months in juvie to show them he's not to be messed with. He's better than them. And as they head off to college, the ones that survive, anyway, they'll remember him with fear and reverence. Once he's out of jail, they'll defer to him with the respect he's due. He's sure of it.

XxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxX

William Schuester chuckles at the two teens practically skipping out of his office. Rachel and Kurt just asked him for letters of recommendation, which he is more than happy to do for them. They're both good kids, good students, hard working, and very talented. Kurt has excellent attendance and Rachel, well, she had excellent attendance until she got sick. That's completely out of her control. It occurs to him that her illness may count against her with the admittance committee. A school like NYADA is very exclusive and demanding. Physically demanding. If they don't think she can physically keep up, they may not accept her. That would break her heart. Kurt's, too. Will frowns. Sometimes the world really isn't fair. Especially to Rachel. He wonders if that's part of the reason why people who get to know her tend to become so protective of her. The world is out to get her so we need to protect her? Maybe. Not that they can protect her from everything. He smiles a little, thinking about how Finn beat the shit out of Rick Nelson over the weekend. They can protect her from some things. And surely Shelby will think to talk to her about the physically demanding aspects of NYADA. Her mother will also be able to comfort her.

He makes a note on his calendar to write their letters and grabs his briefcase. He nods to another teacher and grins at his girlfriend who is monitoring the hallway. He wants to propose soon. The only question is how. Will contemplates getting the Gleeks to help him come up with romantic ideas. He's pulled from his thoughts when he sees Rick Nelson at his locker. He really hates that kid. He's about to turn the corner to his classroom when something makes him pause. Rick's demeanor is…..off. Will can't put his finger on it, but it sets him on edge. He watches him a moment longer, but can't determine what's making the little hairs on the back of his neck raise up. When Rick shuts his locker and walks to class, Will shrugs it off and heads to his classroom.

XxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxX

"Would you be willing to write a letter of recommendation for me?"

Sue Sylvester takes her time putting her pen down and taking off her glasses. Not because she needs the time to think about her answer, but because she needs a moment to reign in her emotions. In the 7 seconds she takes to give Rachel Berry her full attention, Sue thinks about the first time she met the girl and everything that has happened in the years she has known her. To have Rachel standing before her today, asking her for a letter of recommendation for her college application, makes the normally stoic woman more emotional than normal. She lightly clears her throat. Rachel shifts on her feet and bites her lip. Sue gives a careless one-shoulder shrug.

"I suppose it wouldn't be too much trouble to fit that into my schedule this week." A bright smile breaks out across the teen's face. Sue's lips twitch. "I'll have to cut out a day of water aerobics, but I'll manage it. When do you need it by?"

"Do you think you could have it by next Wednesday? I'd like to submit my application by that Sunday."

"Sure, kiddo. I can do that."

Rachel squeals and hurries around the desk to hug her. Sue pats her arm and makes sure to grumble about Rachel being over emotional.

"Thank you!"

"You're welcome, Rachel. Are you only applying to NYADA?"

"No." Now that she's no longer anxious, Rachel flops down on a chair before her desk. "Mom pointed out the wisdom of applying to multiple schools, just to be safe."

"Where else are you applying?"

Interestingly, Rachel cringes. "Um….Julliard and Tisch University."

"Is that a problem?"

"No, it's just…..I'm determined to get into NYADA. That's the only school I want."

Of course. Only the best for Rachel Berry. Then again, while she sets high goals for herself, she also works insanely hard to reach them. She pushes herself. "Understandable."

"To some." Rachel grumbles. Sue cocks an inquisitive eyebrow, so she goes on. "Mom disagrees. Ever since Kurt and I started talking about working on our college applications, Mom's been….freaking out a little."

Sue grins knowingly. "She still wants you to stay local, doesn't she?"

"Yes!" The teen groans. "She's very supportive of my goal of getting into NYADA. But at the same time, she's very against the idea of me moving to New York in a matter of months."

"So have you two been discussing other options?"

"Arguing is more like it. I am 100% committed to getting into NYADA. If I don't, I'll be upset, but I'd accept Julliard or Tisch as runners up. I'd also keep re-applying to NYADA until I eventually get in. I won't stop until I succeed." She tosses her hair over her shoulder.

"Of course you won't." Sue states with certainty. If a little fondness seeped into her tone, it can't be helped. "Now go on, get out of here. You have class and I have paperwork to do."

"You mean paperwork to pretend to do." Rachel sasses with a smirk.

Sue pulls an appalled look. "What could you possibly mean by that?"

The brunette points to the stack of papers on her desk. "Nothing. Just that I've seen that same half-finished form sitting in that same spot for like two weeks. What is it you always say about procrastination? That if y—"

With a mild glare, Sue throws a packet of protein powder at the girl. Too bad she misses. Rachel scurries out of the room laughing. How dare that little urchin use her own words against her? Sue picks up the half-finished form and sighs. Brat. She smiles. Moments later, a loud bang makes her jump and drop her pen. Something about that bang set every one of her nerves on edge. Was that— she doesn't let herself finish the thought. Surely not. And then another bang rings out and her half-formed thought completes itself. Gunshots.

Sue is up and moving before her brain has fully decided on a course of action. Rachel. The unlucky teenager just left her office moments ago. She's probably still close. And possibly in danger. With her stomach twisting and heart pounding out of her chest, Sue peers into the hall. It's empty. Further up, a door swings shut. She contemplates the wisdom of texting Rachel to see where she is, but decides against it. Still feeling queasy and tensed up, Sue slinks down the hall in an odd half crouch. No other shots have rung out. Were they actually shots? Is the shooter moving? Who would be shooting? Then it dawns on her. Rick Nelson. And if she's right, which she usually is, who would his target be? Rachel. And Hudson. She moves faster, but approaches the corner and peers around it cautiously. Further up the next hall, she sees Rachel and her heart lurches.

XxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxX

Will usually spends his prep grading or writing lesson plans so that he doesn't have too much to do at home. Sometimes, though, he likes to spend it with his girlfriend. He decides to see if Emma is available to chat for a few minutes. He wants to have a conversation that hints at marriage and see how she reacts. Or maybe he should just be direct. Or….maybe he should trust that she wants to marry him and propose without broaching the topic. Or—up ahead, Rick Nelson is walking down the hall. Classes have already begun, so students really shouldn't be in the hall. And why does he have his backpack? That, combined with his odd body language, set off red flags in Will's mind. Stepping silently, he follows the boy. Rick turns a corner and freezes, his attention hyper focused on something…..or someone. Silently the kid steps back, out of sight, but keeps his eyes on whoever caught his attention.

Will's frown deepens. He hears Finn's laugh float around the corner and his stomach plummets. Rick quietly shifts his bag to his front and unzips it. When he plunges his hand into the depths of his bag while keeping his eyes on Finn, Will starts moving again. He's uncertain what exactly is going on, but he's nervous and he doesn't trust Rick. Rick's face forms a snarl and he pulls his hand out of his backpack. The moment he sees the gun, Will drops all subtlety. He is in good physical shape. He has been singing and dancing for years, has been running on a regular basis for years, and he hits the gym on a regular basis. He's fast and fit. That aids him well in this moment. He is faster and stronger than Rick. He propels himself forward in a sudden burst of speed and sprints to close the small gap between them. He slams into him just as the kid pulls the trigger. Will doesn't see where the bullet hits, he just prays it didn't hit anyone. He and Rick wrestle for control of the gun. Will feels Rick put his finger back on the trigger and jerks his head out of it's path just as it goes off again.

xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx

Finn dropped Rachel off at class and waited while she asked permission to speak to Coach Sylvester. As expected, Mrs. Morrison agreed. Finn escorted his girlfriend to the cheerleading coach's office, chatting the whole time about a new video game. Rachel listened with fond exasperation. Finn knew she didn't actually care about the game, but likes that he's so excited about it and lets him ramble on with a smile. Once she was safely dropped off with Coach Sue, Finn took off. The plan was to drop his bag off at his own class and let his teacher know he's walking Rachel where she needs to be and will be back in a few minutes. Once again, every teacher knows about Rachel's illness and are very supportive and sympathetic. And they know about Rick Nelson harassing her. These two things combined mean she is never allowed out of class alone. She has permission (and is actually required) to have someone with her at all times. However, Finn spotted Puck skipping class and went to intercept him. The two best friends spent a few minutes talking before separating. Puck was heading to the cafeteria to try to sweet talk the cafeteria ladies into giving him a snack. Chuckling, Finn heads towards class but is waylaid yet again. David and Shane are walking down the hall together.

"What are you two up to?"

"Bathroom." Shane says casually.

"Uh, yeah, same. Bathroom. What about you?"

Finn's brow furrows a little in confusion at Dave's uneasy response. Does he not know if he's going to the bathroom? Did he leave class for another reason? If he's meeting up with a girl, he'd be bragging, not hiding it. Unless….he suddenly remembers Rachel's suggestion that David may be gay. If he's meeting up with a guy, he'd definitely be embarrassed. Not wanting him to be more uncomfortable, Finn gives an easy grin and nods.

"Walking Rach around. I'm just gonna drop my stuff at class and go back for her in a few minutes."

"Cool. Hey, are you going to Kyle's party on Friday?"

"I might." Finn nods. "I was thinking about it. Rachel already said she's not interested, but doesn't mind me going without her."

"It's not like anyone other than that one bitch will try anything with you. All the girls know the two of you are solid." Dave says with a smile.

"Yeah, most of them think it's incredibly sweet or hot or something. Dude, you're raising the bar too high for us." Shane jokingly complains. "The rest of the girls here are expecting epic romance 'cause of you two!"

Finn laughs. "I'm in love and I'm not ashamed of it." Dave's eyes drop for a second. Interesting. Maybe Rachel was on to something. "Anyway, I'll probably go. At least for a little while."

"Good. Come and let me beat you at beer pong again." Dave teases.

"Dude, I only lost 'cause Puck bumped into me!"

"You can't keep using that excuse! You've just gotta accept that you suck at it."

The three boys laugh and turn to head in separate directions. And then a loud bang from nearby makes all three jump and duck, looking around wildly. Further down the hall, where it intersects with another hallway, Mr. Schuester is wrestling with Rick Nelson for control of a gun.

"Fuck!"

All three boys bolt into the closest classroom. It happens to be the currently empty Home Economics room. They shut the door just as another shot rings out and they turn off the lights.

"We should go help Mr. Schue. He could be killed." Finn whispers.

"So could we if we go out there!" Shane argues.

He's not wrong, but it doesn't sit well with Finn. He doesn't want to leave his favorite teacher and coach out there alone with that psychopath. But the odds of him being shot if he goes out there are pretty high. He bites his lip, thinking it over hard. Anyone out there is in danger. He hopes his classmates were all smart enough to go into the nearest room they could find. Luckily, at this time, just about everyone should be in their classrooms. Only a few people are out of class, like—

Rachel.

His stomach plummets with an intensity he has never experienced before. Rachel. His future wife. Did she stay with Coach Sue or did she leave the room without waiting for him? Did she finish up quickly and is waiting in the hall for him to return? Did she go back into the coach's office? Is she wandering the halls looking for him? He feels like he could puke and his heart thuds painfully fast in his chest. Finn stands. When his hand lands on the doorknob, David grabs his shoulder and yanks him back.

"What the fuck, dude? Don't risk your life for a teacher! Even one as nice as Mr. Schue!" David says in a fierce whisper.

Finn shrugs him off and reaches for the door again. Now Shane stands and joins David in stopping Finn from leaving.

"Not him. Rachel. I'm supposed to be walking her back to class! What if she's in the hall?"

Once again, he reaches for the knob. Again, the other guys pull him back.

"Finn, I'm sorry," and Shane does look sorry, "but you risk all three of our lives by going out there."

"I don't care. I can't risk her life, not even for ours. I need to make sure she's safe."

"No."

Finn shoves him and heads to the door. Unfortunately, while he's the quarterback, the other two are linebackers. They are big, strong, and used to stopping bigger guys than him who are running as fast as they can in full padding, and used to tackling them. He doesn't stand a chance. That doesn't stop him from trying, though. He reaches for the door and grips the knob. Dave and Shane have their arms around him, pulling him to the ground.

"Stop! Let me go to her! I ha—"

Shane slaps a hand over his mouth. "Shut up! He'll hear you and know to come in here!"

Finn bucks and twists, turning, kicking, and trying to yank his arms free. He puts all of his strength into it, but it's not enough to break free. His desperate screams are muffled by Shane's hand. Images of Rachel lying on the ground, a pool of blood spreading out from her unmoving body fill his mind. Is she safe? Is she hurt? Is she shot and dying and alone and scared? The thought of her alone and scared gives him a new burst of strength. He bucks wildly and manages to throw Karofsky off of him. He kicks and punches Shane until the bigger boy flinches back, unintentionally loosening his hold. Finn scrambles to his feet and lunges for the door. David tackles him and Shane jumps on top. This time David has his hand over his mouth to cover his howls. Finn is trapped under the combined weight of both boys. Not only are they both fully on top of him, but in a way that severely constricts the movement of his limbs. He can't move. A third shot rings out. He drops his head to the floor, his eyes squeezed shut against a sudden flood of furious and terrified tears. He failed. He failed her.

"I'm sorry, Finn!" David whispers fiercely. Tears are filling his eyes, too. "I care about Rachel. I want her safe, too. But think about it! She's smart! She probably got into the closest room after she heard the first shot. Besides, in case you didn't notice, Nelson was aiming at you. If you go out there and he still has his hands on the gun, he will kill you!"

They don't get it. He doesn't care. All that matters is her.

XxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxX

Kurt is bored. Class only just stared, but he's bored. He doesn't share this class with any of his friends, making it suck even more. One of the very few reasons he's been jealous of Rachel is that for two years in a row she has gotten to share every class with at least one close friend. Granted, that perk is not worth the reason she gets it, but he still gets jealous at times. He sighs as he pulls out his notebook. He wonders if Blaine would be up for a date tonight. They haven't gone out in a while, just because they've had a lot going on. Especially preparing for Regionals. Now that's done and they're working on Nationals. But they deserve a break. A midweek date night sounds awesome. Hopefully his boyfriend agrees. And if he gets his homework done before going out, he's sure his dad will let him go. Eager for this possibility, he slyly pulls out his homework packet for another class and starts working on it.

A distant bang makes him look up. He's not the only one. His classmates and teacher have all frowned and turned to look at the door. They glance around at one another, confused. It sort of sounded like a gunshot, but there's no way that'd actually here, to them.

"I'm sure it's nothing." The teacher states uncertainly before locking the door. "Just to be safe." She assures them.

She's just resuming the lesson when a second bang is heard. There's less doubt now. Everyone is on edge. It truly sounded like a gunshot. Students whimper or curse. Most start sliding under their desks. Shaking, their teacher turns off the lights and quickly uses paper to cover the window.

"Hide." She may be scared, but her tone is firm.

They scramble to get to a spot in the room where they won't be seen from the door. Their teacher grabs her phone and stapler, then sits next to the door. Kurt's heart goes out to the woman. She is clearly willing to put herself in danger to protect them if necessary. His respect for her goes up. Danger. If someone is really shooting, they're all in danger. But who—Rick Nelson. He can feel himself pale. If Rick is the one shooting, then—Kurt pulls out his phone, makes sure it's still silenced, then sends out a message in the group text. The responses from the others start rolling in almost immediately. All except the one he needs the most. Why isn't Rachel responding? He needs Finn to respond, too. Those two would be Rick's first targets. He tries to be patient, but his entire body is tensed up. There's a third shot. They all flinch. People start crying. The only ones who haven't responded are Rachel, Finn, Brittany, and Puck.

Kurt starts crying.

XxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxX

Rachel was still giggling as she left Sue's office. Other than having a hard time waking up (and having to skip her morning shower and eat breakfast on the ride to school), it has been a good morning. She already has two teachers agreeing to write her letters of recommendation. Now she just needs one more. She pauses when she realizes she's supposed to be waiting for Finn to return. She looks around the empty hall and bites her lip. Should she just head to class or wait for him? With a half-shrug, she starts slowly walking in the direction of her next class, hoping her boyfriend appears soon. She walks around a corner just as she hears a loud bang. She jumps, her heart in her throat. She knows that sound, but she's never heard it outside of a shooting range. Someone fired a gun at school. It sounded like it was coming from further ahead of her, not behind. She spins around. She'll head back to Sue's office. If another shot is fired before she makes it, she'll jump into the nearest room or closet. Hopefully Finn is still in his classroom. If not, then surely he went into the closest room to stay safe. Surely.

She hears a couple thuds indicating doors being shut. Good. She doesn't get far before her heart overpowers her brain. She spins around to go back to find her boyfriend. Her future husband. Another shot goes off and she jumps, letting out a quiet shriek. And then arms wrap around her. One large hand is around her mouth and one arm is around her waist. She's pulled back against a large, firm body. She knows immediately it's not Finn. She bucks against the stranger until they hiss in her ear.

"It's just me, Jew-babe!"

Noah Puckerman. Rachel sags against him in relief. He turns, pressing her against the wall. The way they're standing, his body is fully blocking hers, protecting her. She frowns. He needs to be safe, too. But so does Finn. She needs to know for certain that he's safe. She tugs on the hand over her mouth.

"Where's Finn? Did you see him?" She hurriedly whispers.

He clamps his hand back over her mouth. "Yes! Just a few minutes ago. He was heading to class. He's probably still there." He looks around. "We need to hide."

She points to the janitor's closet on the other side of the hall despite knowing she'll spend the rest of her life dealing with jokes about inviting Puck to join her in a closet. He nods and they start quietly shuffling towards it. Before they can reach it, another whisper gets their attention.

"This way!" Sue Sylvester is crouched down, leaning around the corner behind them. She waves them back towards her, looking scared but also relieved.

They obey and reach her in just a few seconds. Every step feels like she's fighting her heart. She needs to know if Finn is safe. Some lunatic with a gun is shooting up their school! Who would do such a thing? And then it hits her, all the pieces falling into place and forming a picture that sinks her heart. Rick Nelson. And who would he be aiming for? Finn. And her, but she's safe. Is Finn? Two shots have already been fired. What if Finn has already been shot? She needs to make sure Finn is safe. Heart thudding, she wheels around. Sue grips her arm, halting her.

"What are you doing?"

"Finn."

Noah growls and lifts her. He slaps a hand over her mouth before she can argue or yell.

"Are you insane?!"

She can't respond and she can't move. She has no choice but to be carried to Sue's office. As soon as he puts her down, she's moving towards the door.

"Stop!" Once again, Sue grabs her arm.

Rachel pulls away and glares at her. "I need to know if he's safe! He was supposed to come back for me after dropping off his bag. He could be in the hall! He could be shot!" Tears fill her eyes. Noah steps closer to her and she slaps his chest repeatedly. "Why did you stop me?!"

He glowers. "Finn would never forgive me if I let you go off towards danger to look for him. Fuck, no one would forgive me." Then, quieter, "I'd never forgive me."

Rachel wilts a little and takes a shaky breath.

"Hudson is fine." Sue insists.

"You don't know that." Her heart is in her throat. The truth of her own statement stabs deep.

Noah nods. "Finn's my boy. He's not, like bright or anything, but he's smart. Ya know? He'll have gotten to safety."

Rachel's hands make fists, the tears overflowing. "You're forgetting that he was supposed to come back for me. He knows I'm not in class. Do you really think he'd stay safe in class if he thought for even a moment that I'm out in the hall?"

The other two freeze, realizing she's right. Finn would not stop until he knew she was safe. So where is he?

"I'll text him." Noah offers, already pulling out his phone.

Rachel's phone is in her bag, back in her classroom, or she would be texting him and all her friends herself. Sue finishes closing her blinds and moves so she's blocking the door. She warily watches Rachel pace the room. Rachel knows she should be hiding more. She should be under the desk or something, hiding out of sight of the windows and door. But she can't. She can't be still until she hears that Finn is safe. The seconds tick by like hours.

"He's fine. He's taking cover in the Home Ec room with David and Shane."

The adrenaline leaves her body in one fell swoop and she lowers herself to the floor before she can fall over. Sue sits next to her and wraps an arm around her shoulders. Noah sits on her other side and hands her his phone. It's not a text. It's a call. Finn's name is on the screen.

"Rach?" Finn's hushed voices causes a sob to leave her mouth. She swallows down the rest. "Rach, you okay?"

She nods before remembering he can't see her. "Yeah. Are you?"

"Yeah, I'm fine. I'm sorry."

Bewildered, she questions him. "For what?"

"If I hadn't gotten sidetracked talking to people I would have been back with you when this happened."

"I'm just glad you're safe. I love you."

"I love you, too. Wait for me there. I'll come to you as soon as we get the all clear, okay?"

"Okay. Stay safe."

"You too."

They hang up. Rachel hands the phone back to Noah. "Can you text the others to make sure they're safe, too?"

"Sure thing, Jew-babe. But will you please hide now?"

They'd been whispering with the door locked and blinds closed, but it'd still be safer to hide further. She realizes then that the only reason they aren't hiding as well is because she isn't. Technically, her actions and refusal to hide jeopardized them. Feeling guilty, she quickly nods and they move behind Sue's desk. She doesn't even argue when they shove her under it. She's not thrilled that they're keeping her safer than they are, but she knows arguing won't change anything. She waits in tense silence for any kind of news. Eventually, Noah moves so he's half under the desk with her. He moves so they can both see his phone screen. They silently read the string of messages from the rest of the New Directions confirming they're all safe. The only one technically unaccounted for is Brittany, but thankfully the girl in question quickly confirms that she's hiding in a bathroom stall. On the down side, the poor girl is alone. On the bright side, that bathroom is nowhere near where the shots were fired. She sees the message Noah sent stating that Rachel doesn't have her own phone with her, but that she's with him and safe. She also sees Finn's response to the group that he's with David and Shane and they're all safe. Noah scrolls up to the messages that were sent before he checked his phone. They show the messages started with Kurt. He was the first to send out a message checking on everyone. The last people to respond, besides Brittany who was the absolute last, were Noah, Rachel, and Finn. Poor Kurt. Rachel is sure that for her and Finn to be two of the ones not responding, he must have been frantic.

"Rachel, keep your fucking phone on your person at all times. Seriously." Is the newest text from Kurt.

"She promises she will from now on." Noah gives her a serious look and she nods her agreement. She will.

"The shooter is Rick Nelson. Dave, Shane, and I saw him. He was aiming for me. I'm fine, obvi. Mr. Schue saved me. He saved us all. He was wrestling the gun away from Rick when we hid." Finn explains to the group.

Messages fly in, asking if Mr. Schuester is safe. Finn admits that he doesn't know. There haven't been any more shots or sounds at all from the hallway. Noah hands the phone to Sue so she can read it. Rachel watches her face pale dramatically and she curses under her breath. She knows Sue and Mr. Schue are good friends. Best friends, probably. She's probably terrified for her friend. Rachel scoots closer and leans into Sue's side. The normally stoic woman wraps an arm around her, holding her close. It's a comfort to both. Not wanting Noah to feel left out, Rachel grabs his hand and tugs him closer. Without a word of complaint, the boy comes closer and leans against her other side. She takes a moment to pray for Mr. Schue's safety while also thanking God for keeping her friends safe. A new message pops up on Noah's phone screen.

"Messaged my Dad, letting him know what's happening and that I'm safe!" from Kurt.

"I let me parents know, too." Tina.

Others start saying the same. Some say "whoops" and that they'll message their parents now. Rachel wishes she had her phone to be able to message her mom. She's sure she'll have her phone before this hits the news. As fast as this will hit the local news, she's also sure that word will spread much faster on social media and general word of mouth. Rachel jerks up straight, her eyes widening. Word of mouth. Uncle Burt knows. All the Glee parents know or will know very soon. That means any of them could reach out to her mom about this. Shit. She grabs Noah's phone from his hand and starts texting furiously.

"Kurt, this is Rachel. Please please please send a message to my Mom letting her know I don't have my phone but I'm safe!"

A couple shocked or "uh-oh" emoji's start popping up from her friends. They all know how her mother is going to react.

"I'll do that right now!" He promises her.

"And tell her I'll call her the moment I have my phone!"

"K."

With a relieved sigh, she hands the phone back to a smirking Noah. She wants to hug Finn. She wants to hug Kurt. She wants to hug all of her friends. She wants to hug her mom. She really wants to hug Mr. Schue. She hopes he's okay. They sit in worried silence for a while longer. Her head is starting to hurt. AA headache or stress? Maybe both.

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Shelby is pretty sure she's driving like a maniac, but she doesn't care. It doesn't matter that she's been told Rachel, Kurt, and all the others are safe and sound. There was a fucking shooting at their school. More terrifying than that, the shooter was someone who has been harassing her daughter for months. The shooter was aiming for her daughter and her daughter's boyfriend. Fury and disgust well up in her. If the police had just done their fucking job in the fist place, none of this would have happened. Her heart had nearly stopped when she'd gotten the text message from Burt about the school shooting. She was texting Rachel and panicking when she didn't respond. She'd been hyperventilating until Kurt messaged her to say Rachel was safe, but didn't have her phone on her.

She's sitting impatiently at a red light. She already called Scott. She called him while running out of the school and to her car. He said he would head to the school and meet her there. He also swore that if he got there and found Rachel first, he'd hand her his phone so she can talk to her. Next she'd called her mother and told her everything she knew, which isn't much. Her mom is informing the rest of the family. The last thing Shelby had wanted was for any of them to learn about this from the news first.

After she has hugged her daughter tight, she is fucking hot gluing her phone to her hand.

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"Police! All clear! Police! All clear!" The shout comes from the hall and is followed by a knock on the door.

Rachel sinks into Noah with a relieved sigh. Sue gets up and opens the door. The police wave them to come out. Crap. Does this mean she's going to be led out of the building before she can reunite with her friends? Before she can grab her phone? That sucks. Noah stands first, then holds his hand out to help her up. She grabs on and lets him pull her up. Unfortunately, that's the moment that dizziness strikes and she wavers. Noah catches her and holds her steady. One of the offers steps in.

"Is she hurt?"

"No, she's sick. She gets dizzy frequently." Sue explains quietly.

Noah lifts her up. "I'm fine, Noah."

"Shut up and let me carry you."

Rachel sighs. "You're already my hero. You don't have to heroically carry the damsel in distress out of the burning castle to prove it."

Noah looks down at her with an odd look on his face she can't decipher. He unexpectedly kisses her forehead. He hasn't done that since she was really sick last year. She wonders why he does it now, but also decides it doesn't matter. She simple smiles up at him and his expression relaxes. The police wave them on and they follow them out into the hall.

"Will Schuester?" The officers turn to Sue. "He's the one who tackled the shooter. Is he okay?"

Rachel anxiously looks at the officers. They share a look, then say "There were no fatalities, ma'am."

"But—"

"We need to get you all out of the building."

"Noah, I told Finn I'd wait in Coach Sue's office for him."

Her friend cocks an eyebrow. "Seriously, Berry? The police probably forced him outside already."

The words are barely out of his mouth when shouts from down the hall draw their attention. The police snap to attention, aiming their guns at the noise. Rachel's heart jumps to her throat for a second time that day. Finn is fighting off officers, his eyes on her. She jumps down from Noah's arms and runs towards him. Understanding what's happening and seeming to decide there's no point trying to fight them on it, the officers stand down. Rachel launches herself into his arms and he catches her, her legs wrapping around his waist and her arms around his neck. They hold one another tight. Safe in his arms, she starts crying. Rick was aiming for him. Someone tried to kill him today. She squeezes tighter.

"I'm safe. You're safe. We're all safe. It's okay." He whispers into her hair.

"Kids, we've gotta go. Let's get a move on."

Finn nods but does not release her. He carries her and they join another group from another hall. Before they reach the doors, she tells him to put her down. He frowns, but does as told.

"If cameras are out there, or if our parents are out there, I don't want them to see me being carried and be even more worried."

He nods his understanding and grasp her hand, instead. Outside, Rachel is proven correct. Terrified parents and families are standing behind the police barriers, waiting for their kids. Students are being brought to a specific location to be checked over, then signed out. They want to make sure everyone is accounted for. Rachel hugs Sue, then releases her so she can go look for Mr. Schue. In that area, Rachel, Finn, and Noah search for their friends. They find them, first. Blaine comes running up and hugs Rachel, then the other boys. Kurt is right behind him, slamming into Rachel and holding her tight. He keeps one arm around her while she hugs the rest of her friends. They stand together in a large group. At the edge of their group she sees David and Shane, both sporting bruises. Shane has a bloody nose. Knowing Finn was with them, and appears unharmed, she doesn't understand what happened. She slides out of Kurt's hold and walks over to them.

"Are you guys okay? What happened?"

They eye her carefully before pointing to Finn. "Him."

That makes no sense. "What do you mean?"

"He wanted to leave the room to go look for you. We had to fight him to keep him in the room. The Dick was right outside the door with the gun. If he'd gone out there, he'd have been shot and killed."

David takes over. "He didn't care. He just wanted to make sure you were safe. We really had to fight him, then tackle him and hold him down until that text message from Puckerman said you were safe and with him."

Rachel turns to look at her boyfriend. He's wearing a nervous, almost hangdog, expression. Does he seriously think she'd be mad at him? She's worried he tried to put himself in jeopardy for her sake, but she's not mad per say. If anything, she feels more loved than ever. He'd literally do anything for her. As she would for him. She walks up to him, gently grasp his face to guide him down, goes up on her tiptoes, and kisses him. Then again. And again. When they pull apart, she whispers in his ear.

"I don't deserve you."

He jerks back slightly, looking shocked. "It's the other way around, babe."

She shakes her head.

"Or maybe," Noah interrupts, coming over to them, "you are both morons who deserve each other." Finn frowns at him and Noah clears his throat. "I had to cover her mouth and carry her to Coach Sue's office. She tried to go towards the sound of gunshots to find you and make sure you were safe. I had to literally carry her to safety. Then, when we got there, she hit me and yelled at me for stopping her, and tried to leave again. She didn't calm down until she heard your voice on the phone telling her you were okay yourself. Then she finally listened to us when we told her to hide."

Finn turns to her with a look of awe mixed with a little anger. "Seriously?"

She shrugs uncomfortably. "I had to be sure you were safe. I figured it was Rick shooting and that you would be his primary target."

Finn is shaking his head. "So would you!"

"But I knew I was safe. I didn't know if you were. I couldn't go hide while you were possibly in danger or already shot."

He wraps an arm around her waist, lifting her. And then he's kissing her deeply. She holds on for dear life and only pulls away when breathing becomes a necessity. Panting lightly, she rests her forehead against his.

"I really love you." He whispers hoarsely.

She grins. "I really love you, too, future husband."

His eyes light up with absolute joy and love, taking her breath away yet again. His resulting smile has her own smile widening.

"Yeah, yeah, you're both sickeningly in love and going to get married one day. We all get it. But let's sign out so we can go find Mr. Schue, the true hero of the day." Santana sasses.

Finn lets Rachel down and walks to Noah. He gives his best friend a brotherly hug and firm pat on the back. "Thanks, man."

Noah nods solemnly. The group then joins the lines to sign out.

"He's there! He's there!" Sam yells excitedly.

The others all turn to look where he's pointing. William Schuester is sitting on the back of an ambulance talking animatedly to a paramedic who is wrapping his arm. Emma Pillsbury is sitting on his other side, holding his good hand. Sue Sylvester stands next to him, smiling. As one, the New Directions leave the line and hurry over to their teacher. They're stopped by police.

"Whoa, kids. Sorry, but you can't leave this area. Go back to the lines to sign out."

"But he's—" Quinn starts, pointing to their teacher.

"No. Leave, now."

"Wait!" Mr. Schue has seen them and is calling over. "Let them pass. They're my kids!"

The officer frowns in confusion. "Which ones?"

Mr. Schuester's eyes take in all of them and he smiles widely. "All of them. That whole group."

The officer's jaw drops and he stares between them all dumbly. The kids ignore him and hurry over to their beloved teacher.

"Are you okay?" Artie asks, rolling closer.

"I'm fine. The third shot grazed my arm. But it's just a graze. I need to go get it stitched up, but that's it." He assures them.

"You're a true hero, Mr. Schue." Mike tells him, smiling wide.

Their teacher laughs sheepishly.

"No, seriously. You tackled then wrestled a guy with a live gun. That's badass." Noah confirms.

"Thank you for protecting us, Mr. Schue." Brittany tells him.

The others nod fiercely.

"Yes, thank you. You're our hero." Rachel tells him, tears welling in her eyes at the thought of what could have happened if he hadn't been so heroic.

Mr. Schuester's own eyes well up and he smiles warmly at them all. "I love you guys. I'd do anything to keep you safe."

"Clearly." They laugh.

While he's cautious of his arm, he makes sure to hug each and every one of them.

"We love you, too, Mr. Schue." Santana assures him and he kisses her cheek.

When he gets to Finn, her boyfriend holds their teacher tight and starts crying.

"Thank you for saving my life, Mr. Schue."

Mr. Schue starts crying, too. "You're welcome, Finn."

Their teacher confirms that Rick was arrested by the police. The group expressed their relief. The paramedics intervene at that point, stating that they're taking him to the hospital for stitches. They wave goodbye as it pulls away. The rejoin the line to sign out, greeting and hugging shaken classmates as they do. As soon as she's through, she hears her name.

"RACHEL!"

Rachel turns towards it and sees her mom, Scott, Dad, Carole, and a bunch of other Gleek parents standing a couple yards away. They start running. She meets her mom halfway and they collide before dropping in a heap to the ground, holding one another tight. More arms join and she knows Scott is holding them both. When she can bring herself to lift her head, she sees Kurt in Da— Uncle Burt's arms, Finn in Carole's arms, and every other one of her friends being held and/or fussed over by their parents. Exhausted by the events of the day, she slumps further into their hold. Her mom kisses her face over and over. Once she's calm, she leans back a little.

"Are you okay?"

Rachel smiles. "I'm fine, Mom. Really. Just…..very, very tired. Exhausted. The fear, stress, and adrenaline rush all combined was…..intense."

Her mom brushes back her hair. "And you were already tired today."

"Come on," Scott says, rubbing her arm, "let's get you home."

Despite being tired and wanting to sleep, the thought of being separated from her friends, from the people who went through this with her, upsets her.

"I—I—"

"Rachel, what is it, honey?"

"I want to, but…..But I also don't want to be separated from them right now." Her eyes slide to her friends.

Her mom's eyes follow hers and she softens. "How about we invite them all over for lunch?"

Rachel smiles in relief. "Okay."

Rachel stands and gather her friends together. Even Sugar. She shares her mom's offer of having a big lunch together. Her friends look equally relieved and happy about it. It turns out, none of them want to be apart right now. Their parents easily agree. Arrangements are made. The group agrees to meet at Rachel's house in half an hour. Rachel sits in the passenger seat of her mom's car, the stress of the morning finally waning. They got lucky. No one died. No one was seriously hurt. Mr. Schue is fine. Rick is in jail. She lets her eyes slip closed. She feels her mom take her hand and squeeze it lightly.

"Rach?" She calls softly.

"Hm?"

A soft chuckle. "Nothing, baby girl. Enjoy your nap."

Rachel knows Scott will carry her inside. She knows her loved ones will be over soon and she'll get to spend a few hours with them. Most of all, she knows she is safe and loved. She lets herself fall asleep.

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