Disclaimer: If I had owned Glee, its characters or the used songs I wouldn't be still living in the Netherlands and Glee wouldn't have ended.
Special thanks to all of you who are still following this story for your patience.
English still isn't my native language. For that I have jenmer61977 as my amazing beta.
A.N.: I'm changing things up a bit to make it fit better for what I have in mind later on in the story. I have changed all the chapters I had until now and am working on brand new chapters. I can't promise updates will come regularly but I do promise that I will do everything I can to finish both this and Changing Directions.
That same Monday morning Rachel sits on the sunbed on her balcony staring out at the ocean again, fingering that spot on the outside of her ribcage just beneath her boob with a soft smile on her lips. It is still a little sore and not completely healed and she still can't wrap her head around the fact that her mothers actually gave her permission to get a tattoo without very much resistance. They agreed but only if she'd get something meaningful. Imagine their surprise when all she got was a simple #20 in the same font as was read on the jersey she is wearing now, his jersey. What they don't know yet is that she is designing a much bigger one to go on the small of her back
She's woken from her daydreaming by her mother sitting down next to her laying a Samsung Galaxy S7 phone, a Samsung tablet and a laptop on the sunbed. "These came in the mail today, sent by Emily. She had Penelope close all of your social media and email accounts and make a new Gmail account for you. I believe your new email is CowgirlRBBatgmaildotcom, she even managed to integrate all your old agenda items into your new account. You have to delete the items you don't need any more yourself. The note said she also installed some songwriting and recording apps and programs."
"Thanks mom, I'll take a look at it later." Rachel looks at the devices for a second.
"Are you feeling better?" The mother lays her hand on the girl's forehead to check if she has a fever. The smaller brunette has been feeling a little under the weather the last few days. Shelby thinks it is just the stress from the last few weeks coming out. She might not have had her agenda, but Rachel had an inkling it definitely is not the stress coming out in the form of the flu.
"A little," Rachel sighs, tearing her eyes from staring at the ocean to look at her mother. "God I love it here. Can't we just stay here?"
"I wish we could honey, I wish we could." Shelby pats her knee. "Sue and I are going to WholeFoods. Do you need something?" When the girl shakes her head, she kisses her forehead and tells her they'll be back in an hour or so.
She waits ten minutes to make sure her mothers are out of the house before making her way to the bathroom and gets the items she secretly purchased a few days prior from her purse to confirm her suspicions. When she sees the results three minutes later her hand instinctively makes its way to her, still flat, belly.
For the most part their day was quiet which worried the group of three. All they could figure was that Shue hadn't spilled the beans yet. Brittany had come up to them first thing that morning just to check on them. She had tears in her eyes as she spoke then curled up into Artie's lap for comfort. He seemed pretty down as well and told them that Rachel was truly a loss to them all. Tina and Mike found them during lunch, and both gave their condolences again as well. Tina couldn't say much through her tears, but Mike translated for her. Matt came up to them not saying a word, just hugging them and quickly moving away wiping his eyes.
They didn't see the other New Direction members and just ignored the murmurs from the rest of the student body. At the end of the day they headed to meet up with Coach Beiste in the new choir room.
When Shelby yells that they are back from the store Rachel makes her way to the kitchen where her mothers are busy putting the groceries away.
"Mom, mama can I talk to you for a minute?" She asks hesitantly.
"Sure honey. Give us just a minute to put this all away," if she would have looked at her daughter Shelby would have noticed the girl's anxiety and wouldn't have let her wait.
When all the groceries are put away Shelby and Sue turn their attention to Rachel who becomes more anxious under their gaze.
"What did you want to talk about honey?" Her mom asks.
"Uhm, I was wondering, uhm, if I could either be homeschooled or follow my classes online for the rest of the school year," Rachel squirms on the stool she's sitting on.
"Rachel, we talked about this barely two hours ago. We can't stay here," Shelby sighs. "We have the animals to care for and if you want to take over the business at one point you'll have to go to college."
"I know we can't stay, but that is not why I am asking. I don't need another target on my back, again. Being the new kid is hard enough," she cries out.
Shelby and Sue look at each other confused and make their way over to their daughter taking her in their arms. "Sweetie, what are you talking about?"
Rachel takes a deep breath. "Do you remember what you said to me the day after dad and daddy died?" Shelby shakes her head. "That while you loved the idea of having Jewish grandbabies one day you are too young to be a grandmother just yet?" Shelby nods slowly, realization as to what her daughter was trying to tell them, dawning on her. "Well… you'll have to get used to being a grandmother at thirty five."
The two women at her side are stunned into silence. "A.. are you sure?" Sue stutters after a few minutes.
"You tell me," her daughter pulls the four pregnancy tests she had taken earlier from the back pocket of her shorts and throws them on the counter.
"But you said that you used protection," Shelby states, still shocked.
"And we did. But you should know by me being here proves that condoms are only ninety seven percent effective." The smaller brunette looks at her mom as if she has gone crazy. Shrugging, she adds, "It broke when we did it in the shower."
"I didn't need to hear that," Sue says, grossed out.
"Why didn't you tell us?" Shelby wants to know.
"I figured that it would be soon enough to talk about it when it was certain that there would be consequences to that condom breaking," Rachel whispers.
"What do you want to do?" Sue lays her hand on the girl's shoulder to comfort her.
"Keep it," Rachel states firmly with a nod. "I know it will be hard having a kid and going to school full time, but I love Noah more than I love myself and knowing that I might never see him again makes me want to keep this baby. Hence my question of if I can either be homeschooled or follow my classes online for the rest of the school year. Being the new kid is hard enough. Being the new pregnant kid will put a target on my back."
"How about we do some research about homeschooling and online education and how that works with colleges and go from there?" Sue suggests. "My guess is with two teachers and your work ethic we should have no problem making it work."
"Thank you," Rachel whispers as she hugs both her mothers.
Santana looks at Noah and Dave as they walk to their choir room. "I want to start recruiting as soon as possible. I want to get as many people as we can to audition. We need this to be big."
Noah nods along as she speaks. "I think you're right. I know we didn't talk to Britt yet but I'm sure she'll join us and you know Artie will follow."
"I know but I want more. I don't want just the required ten. That's just too risky, if one gets injured or quits for some reason we'll have a problem. Plus, I want a huge wall of sound to crush them." Santana is getting a little worked up and Dave rubs her back.
"Hey, we'll do what we can to get as many people in there as we can. Breathe a little San." He soothes her.
She nods and leans into him, calming slightly. Now that he wasn't being an ass anymore and they finally knew what was going on with him she felt like they had their brother back and it was an extreme comfort to both her and Noah.
They're talking about their day as they pass the door to the New Directions choir room and stop when they hear Brittany call out to them. "Hey guys, where are you going? We have practice."
"We quit a few weeks ago Britt, remember?" They look in the room seeing Shue standing there looking uncomfortable. Santana scoffs as they walk into the room looking at him. "You didn't tell them yet?"
Shue squares his shoulders trying to look confident. "Not yet. I was just about to discuss it with them."
They shake their heads and turn to leave but stop when Brittany stands looking confused. "Where are you going San and why is Dave here?"
Turning back around Santana sighs. It looked like this was happening now. "We started a new glee club."
Gasps were heard by all and Brittany looks at them apologetically. "Oh yeah, I forgot. Can I come with you?"
Noah walks over to her and hugs her close, drying her tears. "You can always come with us if you want Britt. We just haven't had a chance to talk to you yet."
She perks up looking at Santana who smiles. "I was going to call but things just got kind of crazy last week B."
Brittany squeals in happiness and stands up grabbing her bag and moving behind Artie to push him out the door.
The others finally come out of their shock and Mercedes launches out of her chair in outrage. "Hold up Satan. What do you mean you started a new glee club? The school can only have one and we barely have funding to keep that one running."
Santana smirks, "That's where you're wrong Wheezy, check the rulebook. A school can have as many choirs as it pleases and enter them on the sectionals level competition where they will compete against each other, the best choir moves on to Regionals."
Quinn stands shaking in rage. "You can't do this, it isn't right."
Noah steps forward and glares at her. "Don't you start about what is right and what is wrong. Not after what you pulled at that party."
She just scoffs. "We were both drunk and shit happened. Get over it."
"That's where you're wrong Ms. Fabray. Apparently you're not as liked as you think you are in this school. I already have gathered a handful of witness statements claiming that you didn't drink at all and therefore were fully aware what you were doing, contrary to Mr. Puckerman here, who was in no condition to give consent. In Washington we call what you did rape." Gasps are heard all around at Emily's statement. "Just because the victim here is male doesn't make it any different. So if I were you I would be very careful with what I say or do in regards to Mr. Puckerman for the next twenty five years because that's the statute of limitations on rape and sexual assault in this state."
"And you aaaare…?" Quinn looks Emily up and down in disdain.
"Supervisory Special Agent Emily Prentiss, FBI." Quinn swallows as Emily moves the side of her blazer a little making the badge clipped to her pants visible.
"Em, what are you doing here?" Santana looks pleasantly surprised.
"I had a feeling you might run into a little bit of trouble here," Emily shrugs.
Finn shakes his head and looks at Shue. "They can't do this, can they Mr. Shue?"
Mr. Shue nods. "They can and they have. Figgins told me this morning."
After being asked to join them in a jam session just last week, Tina is curious. "Who is your advisor and where is the budget for a new club coming from?"
"Our faculty advisor is Coach Beiste." Santana smirks at the thought of what she is to reveal next. "As for the budget. From the moment we quit this sad excuse of a team, together with Rachel we've been doing the groundwork to start a new club to ensure that this school has a show choir that can go the distance. We, but mostly Rachel, contacted and visited some local businesses to start up a booster club to make sure the club wouldn't be dependent solely on a budget the school can provide. Together with a very generous anonymous donation we have a budget Mr. Shue over there can only dream of."
The room grows quiet until Mercedes steps forward even more furious. "I should have known she'd have something to do with this. Even from the grave that girl is a thorn in my side."
"Oh you bitch," Santana launches only to be grabbed and pulled back by Dave. "Don't you dare talk about her like that you fat ass sack of shit. She was twice the woman you'll ever be with more talent in her little finger than you will ever have in your entire massive body."
Noah steps forward and Brittany grabs his arm keeping him from moving any further. "If you and that sad excuse of a director you have would have listened to what she's been saying from the moment we joined this so called team, you would have had a budget similar and we probably would have been National Champions by now. If things hadn't happened the way they did she would have done all this herself to make sure that we could keep doing what we love and get away from you judgmental sons a bitches."
Will turns to them angrily. "You don't get to come in here and start cussing them out. Go to your own choir room before I have to report you three to principal Figgins."
"When did you grow a pair?" Noah yells back at him. "Oh that's right, the minute your favorites are being called out. Just remember that we were not the ones who started this and we have the FBI as our witness. Prepare yourself to be crushed." He smirks as he takes his leave.
They all look after him incredulously and Dave shakes his head as he is still holding Santana back from killing someone. "You really are a crappy teacher. I can't believe Mercedes just said something like that about someone who just died to her best friends and you get mad at them for getting upset."
Quinn really can't help herself from getting into trouble and looks at Dave smirking, "Like you have room to talk about anyone. You are nothing more than a bully that can't handle the fact that he's gay and take it out on others."
Everyone looks at her in shock and Santana finally stops struggling and just looks at her. "You need to stop talking about things you know nothing about Barbie and leave my man out of your blabbering. I can't believe that you would sit there and lie about someone like that in a town where four people have died because of their sexual orientation and one just because they were her parents. Saying something like that is like trying to get someone killed, you insensitive bitch. I better not hear anything like that come out of your mouth again or find out that you've been spreading that crap about my boyfriend to anyone else or you and I will have a serious problem."
"You better hope that nobody outside of this room picks up on what you just said Q," Noah says seething in rage. "I might not press any charges for rape, yet. But I will if anything happens to my boy because you can't keep your mouth shut. That goes for all of you."
Emily steps up next to him. "If anything happens to that boy not only will I help Noah nail you for rape, I'll have you arrested for accessory to murder faster than you can say Cheeri-ho."
Before anyone can react Coach Beiste steps into the room, having heard the whole thing. She looks to her kids, putting a calming hand on Santana's shoulder. "Why aren't you guys in the choir room?"
Noah steps up to them, "They stopped us on the way there. We were just leaving."
She nods and they turn to leave with Brittany and Artie in tow but before they make it out the door Santana turns back to the New Directions and smirks. "May the best club win," and with that they were gone leaving a flabbergasted group in their wake.
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