Part 61

It turned out no one had figured it out after another week so Kim decided to get them out of their misery during the first Warbler meeting of the week.

"It's Oslo", he said.

"Huh what is", Nathan asked.

"The capital in Czechoslovakia is Oslo", Kim said and smiled, but it didn't quite reach his eyes.

"No it's not that's the capital of Denmark!"

"Norway", Kim corrected.

"That's what I said!"

Kim just shook his head.

"How can it be Oslo", Alexander asked confused.

"Czech-OSLO-vakia…"

The Warblers groaned and Kim smiled softly. Otto just shook his head and then looked at the group of boys and bit his lip before sighing. The boys around him were talking about some thing or another and it was getting louder… so he blew the whistle but instead of sounding loud and shrill as always… out came a duck sound. The Warblers stared at him and started laughing. Otto looked at the duck caller and sighed.

"Wes", he said.

"Yes Otto", Wes said with a way too innocent voice.

"Where. Is. It?"

"I don't know what it is", Wes said. "Can I get a hint?"

"You can get a hit!"

"Nope I don't want that."

"Wes… where is my whistle?"

"You are obsessing more over that thing than Brad and Jerry", Wes pointed out and Otto glared at him. Wes just grinned. Otto slowly got up.

"When I get my hands on you Wes", he growled. "You will never play the piano again!"

Wes cocked his head to the side.

"Is that a promise", he asked.

"No it's a threat!"

"Threats are illegal", Wes pointed out.

"Fine then it's a promise!"

"A promise of what?"

"PAIN!"

Wes cocked his head to the other side.

"For me or for you?" he asked.

"That's it", Otto yelled and flew up and ran at Wes. The younger boy just ran to the other side of the room. "Get back here you little rat!"

"I can't", Wes said. "We need to carry on the meeting."

"Oh I can continue it after I kill you!"

"But then the Warblers will never hear what's going on!" As he spoke Wes dove underneath Otto's arm and darted away from him again.

"And why can't they?" Otto growled.

"Because you will never be able to kill me", Wes said happily.

"Why you little-"

"Otto", Julian cut in.

"What", Otto yelled.

"The kid's got a point", Julian said. "Jerry, Brad and Austin couldn't kill him so why would you be able to?"

Otto opened his mouth but closed it again because Julian did have a point. He glared at Wes who only winked at him before sitting down beside Brett Everett. Otto took his seat at the council table again and started off the meeting, without his whistle. As the meeting rolled by the council told them what songs to use for sectionals and that Wes would be singing lead on the first one and the second.

"But I don't speak Spanish well enough", Wes objected wildly.

"I'll help", Alexander Dumas and Juan Ferrera said.

"But then why can't you sing it", Wes tried then.

"Because you are our lead soloist now that the creep is gone", Otto said.

"Speaking of which", Howard Jameson said. "Did we ever tell Austin we're sorry for how we treated him and Joseph when they tried to help us?"

"No", Oliver Webber said and blushed.

"And we never told Austin he was right about Jesse from the start", Eric Anderson pointed out. Nathan pulled his phone out.

"Phone call time!" he yelled and looked for Austin's number.

"Uh Nathan", Kim said carefully.

"What Swiss? Ow!" Kim had thrown a book at him… hitting the back of his head.

"I'm not from Switzerland!" Kim growled. "But on another note. It's 18 here…"

"It's what?"

"6 pm."

"Yeah so?"

"So… Austin has an important seminar tomorrow remember?"

"So what?" Nathan asked and dialed Austin's number.

"I tried to warn you", Kim said and leaned back.

"From what", Nathan asked and put the phone on speaker and soon got a grumpy reply. "Hi Austin!"

"Nathan cuando le ponga las manos encima te mataré lenta y dolorosamente! ¿Qué te pasa?! Tengo un gran seminario de mañana y la necesidad de dormir, ya que comienza a las 6", Austin yelled furiously.

"Uh… Gracias?" Nathan said and Austin hung up with a growl. "Uh translation?"

Nathan asked this turning to Alexander and Juan. Juan chuckled.

"Um", he said. "Austin said that: Nathan when I get my hands on you I will kill you slowly and painfully. What is wrong with you? I have a big seminar tomorrow and need to sleep because it starts at 6."

"So?"

"Nathan", Kim said. "Austin was obviously sleeping."

"Sleeping?! At 6 pm?!"

"It's 11 pm where he is."

Nathan was about to object when he realized what Kim said.

"Oh", he said. "Time zones."

"Really", Kim said and rolled his eyes. "Americans…"

"Will you stop saying it as we are all stupid?!"

"Will you stop calling me Swiss or the Swiss?"

"Um… no?"

"Then no", Kim said.

"Kim!"

Wes laughed and then turned to Otto who was shaking his head and then something hit the older boy.

"Oh shit I almost forgot", he said and everyone turned to him. "Carmichael asked the Warblers to perform at the Thanksgiving dinner next week. It's gonna be a family night, all families are invited to Dalton and we celebrate Thanksgiving together, combined with a parent day. We have these things every second year if you wonder why there was nothing last year."

The words had barley left his mouth before the junior and senior Warblers all looked at Wes. His smile was gone already but the sophomores looked eager and happy about it. They started to ask questions and while the older boys answered Wes snuck out of the room, but not completely as unnoticed as he thought. Two people followed him.

"Why, why, why do you always have to get onto the fucking roof!" Collin groaned as he and Kim slowly walked towards Wes who was sitting on the roof of the main building. "What if you fall?!"

"I never fall…" Wes mumbled.

"You nearly did that night you know", Kim said and sat beside Wes and Collin sat on Wes' other side.

"That was Nathan's fall…" Wes grumbled. "He startled me." Kim chuckled, knowing exactly what happened. Nathan told them after all, feeling bad about it. "Why are you two up here?"

Kim and Collin shared a look.

"Because we noticed that you seemed sad", Collin said. "The other sophomores didn't see it but I did… so what's wrong? Can't your family come for Thanksgiving?"

Wes bit his lip and shook his head. Collin and Kim shared a look above Wes' head and Collin smirked.

"Well why don't you come with me a and Kim then", Collin asked.

"Huh", Wes asked and looked at him.

"My family is from the UK and we all know Kim's from Swiden", he was about to say Switzerland but changed it at the last second. "None of us celebrate Thanksgiving so my dad's gonna come here and he and I'll have some fun outside school. I asked Kim and his family to join if they want to. You can come too."

"I can?" Wes asked and Collin and Kim both nodded. "Uh what are we gonna do?"

Collin smirked evilly and Kim turned to Wes.

"I guess we don't want to know…" he said and Wes laughed. Collin looked offended but then all three laughed. As they sat there they watched a lot of students and staff run around down on the ground going about with their evenings and it was fun to watch them. No one looked up so all three were hidden from view. Soon they saw Otthan and the Everett twins come out on the grounds, looking for Wes probably. Because they must've realized he was missing by now.

Collin, Kim and Wes sniggered and lied down on the roof, flat on their stomachs. They had decided to have some fun with the four pranksters. Collin had brought a bag with cherries onto the roof that the three had been sharing and now they just waited for an opportunity to show itself… and it soon did. Nathan walked off to the side to call someone and when he was close enough the three roof-rats blew the cherry seeds in his direction. They then hid as they heard Nathan yelp in surprise and covered their mouths to stifle their giggles.

Nathan was confused. He had gone to call Mitch to see if the smaller boy had seen Wes anywhere when suddenly something hit him. One of these things, whatever they were, hit him in the head. One in the face and the last on the shoulder. He looked around but saw nothing. Maybe the twins and Otto were behind it. He dialed Mitch's number and when the smaller boy answered Nathan was about to ask something when whatever it was that hit him… hit him again.

"What the hell?!" he yelled.

"What did I do", Mitch asked sounding offended.

"No, no, not you baby I was just… son of a bitch!"

"WHAT?!" Mitch yelled.

"Not you!" Nathan said in a panic. He had gotten hit again by… whatever it was.

"I hope so for your sake Nathan Rupert Newland!"

"I was just going to ask if you had been able to fuck you!"

"WHAT?!"

"Mitch I'm sorry I didn't mean it like that!"

"Then what the hell did you mean?!"

"I was", he began but felt something hit it again. "Stop that!"

"Stop what?"

"Not you baby."

"You aren't making any sense!"

"Neither is this. Knock that off!"

"I'm not doing anything!"

"Mitch I'm not talking to you!"

"Oh then who are you talking to?"

"I mean I'm talking to you but I'm not."

"You aren't making any sense…"

"None of this is…"

"What's that supposed to mean?!"

"Nothing baby it's just okay cut it the fuck out!"

Mitch hung up on him and Nathan looked around because he could hear laughter… a lot of it. He saw the Everetts and Otto laugh like crazy but he also heard other laughter… laughter he recognized. His eyes narrowed and he turned towards the school building and looked up at the roof just as something hit his forehead. He blinked but had enough time to see a black haired head disappear behind one of those decorative things that was on the roof.

"Wesley!" he yelled

"Yes Nathan", Wes called and Nathan stared because Wes' voice didn't come from where he'd seen the black hair. Nathan looked around and saw Wes sit much closer to him than that other person's location.

"Wes what are you doing on the roof", Nathan asked.

"Thinking", Wes said innocently and Nathan jumped when something hit the back of his head and his neck. "What's the matter Nate?"

"Nothing", Nathan growled. "Just get down from there."

"If I jump will you catch me?"

"Are you crazy?!"

"Did you hear that guys", Wes called to Otto and the Everetts. "Nathan won't catch me!"

"And I thought", Eric began.

"-you were", Brett continued.

"-one of Wes'-"

"-best friends that-"

"-would do anything-"

"-for him and-"

"-always protect him-"

"-and-"

"-look after him", Wes filled in happily and Otto groaned.

"What did Justine tell us about keeping him away from you?" he asked and glared at the twins. They just grinned and waved to Wes on the roof. Wes let go of the stone decoration he was holding with one hand and waved back.

"Wes both hands on!" Nathan ordered and Wes rolled his eyes. "What the hell?!" Nathan spun around as something hit him again and he looked down at the grass but saw nothing.

"Oh Otto", Wes called. "I think Nate should see a doctor… he seems to be a bit… unstable?"

"Oh I will unstable your face when you get down here Wes!" Nathan yelled and Wes looked at Otto with big eyes.

"Otto", he said. "Nate is threatening me!"

"Ow!" Nathan exclaimed when Otto hit him on the head.

"Get a grip man!" Otto said. "Wes can you come down so we can talk to you?"

Wes looked around as if he was looking for a way down, then he looked at the boys and smirked.

"Nah", he said and turned his back to them and moved so he disappeared from sight. Nathan and Otto turned towards the twins but saw that they were watching the part of the roof where Nathan had seen the black hair. They saw two people watch Wes move over the roof.

"SWISS!" Nathan yelled and the blonde turned to him with eyes.

"Uh oh", he said and slid down into hiding again.

"COLLIN!" Nathan yelled and noticed that Collin was having a black beanie on his head.

"Eeep!" Collin squeaked and followed Kim. Nathan massaged his temples trying to calm himself… and to prepare himself to grovel for Mitch to solve this craziness.

Family night came around faster than any had hoped for and the Warblers were annoyed. Well the oldest of them were because whenever they tried to approach Wes about the dinner he just ran off or changed the subject completely. It also annoyed them that he was spending more and more time with Benjamin and the other freshmen and none were more jealous than Nathan Newland.

Nathan was going to celebrate with Mitch's family again and he and Mitch were showing them around. After a lot of kissing up… and Collin, Wes and Kim telling Mitch they were behind the chaos in the first place, Mitch forgave Nathan for being an idiot. Now the couple were showing Mitch's parents around the school, happily talking to them about everything and nothing. But when some of the Dalton boys saw Mitch's parents they hurried off. These were the people that had been bullying Mitch the year before and those who just stood by and did nothing. Mitch' mother glared at them while her husband focused on the boys.

"So boys", he said. "Mitch we know you are going to Parsons to join Justine, how about you Nathan?"

"I'm having a bit of a trouble deciding", Nathan said and blushed. "I want to do a lot of stuff but… I don't know what I want to do the most. I want to be a doctor or a fireman or animal police or… or anything I have no idea."

"You know what honey", Mitch's mom said and smiled. "I think I have the perfect idea for what you can become."

"What's that", Nathan asked.

"An actor. Then you can become all this stuff for short periods of time… but I also know how talented you and Otto are with pranks… so I think you should get into special effects."

"That. Is. Perfect!" Nathan said happily and hugged her. She just laughed and hugged him back, Mitch's dad patted his shoulder.

"And don't you worry about money", he said and Nathan stared at him. "What you're part of the family and we got enough money to send four kids to college in Mitch's college account… that is… if Mitch wants to share."

"Are you kidding", Mitch asked and hugged his dad and Nathan. "I'd be happy too." Nathan's grin widened and he pulled Mitch tightly to him and whispered in his ear:

"See this is why everyone at this school freaking loves you."

Mitch just smiled and snuggled close to Nathan. The group continued to walk down the halls and talk to a few teachers and other Warbler-parents that they met.

"Sweeties", Mitch's mom said after a while. "Where is Wes, Kim and Collin? We have met everyone else."

The two boys looked at each other and then at Mitch's parents.

"We don't know", they said. Mitch's mother gave them a serious look.

"No really mom", Mitch said. "They were there for breakfast today but then… poof… gone."

"Well Kim is probably out somewhere with his dad because those Swisses don't celebrate Thanksgiving", Nathan said.

"Swedes Nathan", Mitch scolded. "my God how hard is it to know the difference?!"

"So Kim is not from the country with all the chocolate and clocks and amazing alps?" Mitch's father asked. "I thought that was Sweden."

"That's Switzerland!" Mitch said and just shook his head before walking off with his giggling mother. Nathan and Mitch's dad followed. Both of them looking really confused. What were they getting wrong?

Otto was getting annoyed, no scratch that… he was getting very annoyed. His parents wanted to talk to every single teacher and staff member they met, wanting to know exactly what their son was like… academically and in person. It was making Otto crazy because they asked everyone that worked at the school and that included janitors and kitchen and cafeteria staff… the janitors weren't always too happy about him and Nathan but thankfully they didn't say something and when they ran into Carmichael the man just laughed and patted Otto's shoulder.

"Otto is a very", he started and made a pause while looking for the right words. "A very… committed student and person. He has good grades in all subjects, is leader of the Warblers and dorm prefect. He is responsible and intelligent and the students in his dorm looks up to him and knows that they can turn to him if they need help with something. Otto was one of the reasons we caught a bully here at school."

"Yes I heard about that", Otto's mother said. "A Jesse St. James was it not?"

"Correct ma'am."

"And where is that boy now?"

"I don't know but we sent a note with his behavior with his file so his new headmaster can see what kind of boy he was here and why he was kicked out. But now back to your son. Otto is a very reliable person and even though he makes mischief sometimes he always stays responsible for his actions."

"If he gets caught", Otto said happily.

"If he gets caught", Carmichael chuckled. "The Warblers are following him too and listens to him, he has really good leadership skills that the other boys admire him for and he works very well in all groups he is part in and the sport teams he's on loves him."

Otto's parents looked pleased and Carmichael shook hands with them and Otto before leaving. But before he left he whispered to Otto:

"The whistle is hidden in a flower pot in my office."

Otto grinned, but on the inside he was boiling. Wes better run fast next time he sees the kid or he will be slaughtered slow and painfully. But Otto also thought of what Carmichael had said about him and wondered if it was all true. He know most of it was but Otto also knew he wasn't one of the reasons Jesse got caught. Thing is… Jesse would've gotten caught much earlier if he'd just listened to Austin and if he'd just… if he had believed Austin in the first place none of this would've happened… and Otto wasn't the great Warbler leader everyone thought he was. Truth is that without some help from Wes every now and then Otto wouldn't be leading at all.

Otto sighed and what was up with Wes stop hanging with them so much? The past week and especially the past few days Wes had declined any offers to go with the older Warblers somewhere to hang with Benjamin and a few other freshmen. It was annoying. Those little kids didn't know Wes like the Warblers did… like Otto did. He had seen the boy when he came to Dalton nothing more than a scared and broken little child. Otto had seen him and helped him grow into the kid he was today! So why was Wes spending time with those freshmen that he hadn't known for more than a few months?! He sighed. He had to find a way to win the kid back… maybe the rest of the Warblers would help… I mean… they wouldn't want to lose Wes too right? Right. Otto smirked and walked with his parents. Feeling better already.

Julian was right now talking to his grandparents and his parents, because this time they could come. Julian younger sister was there also and she was actually happy about it this time. She was ten years old and like every little girl that age she was getting her first tiny crush. And no it wasn't on Wes because she hadn't seen him yet and Julian hadn't seen him all day. She was staring longingly at Alvaro Sanchez. Julian knew that had this been one of those cheesy romance movies there would've been Latino guitars playing when Alvaro looked at his sister and he would've talked with a Antonio Banderas like voice. Now Alvaro just said hi in his normal way and Julian's little sister were already swooning. Julian rolled his eyes.

"Katie he is eight years older than you", he said.

"Doesn't matter to me", Katie said staring at Alvaro longingly.

"Uhm Katie when you are 15 he will be 23."

"Doesn't matter", Katie said happily. "Can we go talk to him Ju please?" She gave him her best puppy eyes and he crumbled. His parents and grandparents laughed but followed Julian and Katie over to Alvaro and his family. The Sanchez family was speaking in Spanish but when Alvaro noticed Julian come over he grinned.

"Hi Jules", he said. "What's up?"

"My sister wanted to meet some of my friends", Julian said and smiled at his sister. She was holding his hand and hiding shyly behind him.

"So this must be the famous Katie", Alvaro said and smiled and Katie blushed. "Jules talks a lot about you and he says that you are a really little songbird." Katie just smiled shyly and hid her face in Julian's side. Alvaro knew what was going on and smiled at Julian.

"Hey Katie", Alvaro said and she looked at him.

"Yes", she asked shyly.

"Why don't you allow me to show you around the school? I'm sure my little brothers wouldn't mind having Jules showing them around instead." Said boys grinned widely. They were looking for ways to embarrass their brother and to find good blackmail stuff and Julian could help with that.

"Oh boy!" the youngest one said.

"Please", the older begged and Julian laughed and agreed. The parents and grandparents just chuckled and Katie hurriedly took Alvaro's hand and allowed him to show her around the school. It was the best day of her life.

Eric sighed as his mother kept checking his room in the Vermillion Bird for any traces of dust. Why is she doing this? Well because she wants to prove to her husband that men can keep their home's clean. Eric just sat on his bed and made sure to stay out of the way. Why did this always happen to him? Why did his parents always have to fight nowadays about the smallest things? Maybe their relationship had just hit a rut. He was sure they were going to stick together… if his love-struck look was something to go by. He was looking at his wife as if he had just seen the most beautiful woman in the world. Eric rolled his eyes and plopped down on his bed. His parents were like teenagers.

A bit further down the hall in the Vermillion Bird Carl and John Wilkins were talking to their parents. Just a reminder. They are twins but Carl is shorter, has brown hair and blue eyes while John is taller, has blonde hair and green eyes. They both the knew they were sucker for rules, drilled into them by their parents. They followed every rule in the book, this didn't mean they never played pranks or had fun, it just meant that when they did play pranks they were small and would not break any major rules. They had been trying to get that into Wes' head over the years and it was actually working. Wes was sticking to rules and never broke any major ones… except for climbing up the roof but there was no stopping him. All he needed was a window and he found a way onto the roof. But the Wilkins twins were satisfied with themselves. Since he hung out with Otto and Nathan and the Everetts, the biggest pranksters ever in Dalton history, they wanted him to be a bit more… responsible than their friends and now he was. Now their moms were just like them. Their mom had gotten and sperm donor so that they could be born. They knew his name and where he lived. They sent each other Christmas cards and birthday cards but that was all. Their mom was a lawyer and their mother a brain surgeon. The boys used to say that Carl took after their mother and John their mom. Both of them managed to come this year and both were very impressed of their boys' achievements so far. They both wanted meet all of their friends. They got to meet some of John's friends from football and Carl's friends from fencing, but not many of the Warblers. When asked John just said:

"Like I told mother last time there are a number of Passeriformes (perching birds) called "warblers". They are not particularly closely related, but share some characteristics, such as being fairly small, vocal and insectivorous. They tend to be more easily heard than seen. Identification can be difficult and may be made on the basis of song alone."

To which Carl just laughed happily. The thing with the Warblers was that they liked to keep to themselves during days like these. They didn't want to be the big rockstars around their families… so they were hiding from each other… mostly. Their moms just shook their heads and asked the boys to show them around the school some more.

But all of the seniors were doing one thing in common. They were trying to find their three missing Warblers who had to be back before their performance before dinner. But there was no sign at all around the school of Collin, Kim and Wes… what were those boys up to?

TBC I'm so so so sorry for the long wait but I've been having writer's block :S I am also somewhat stuck on the latest oneshot propmt... one where one Jeff gets lost you-know-where.

Answer to non-members' (or not signed in members') reviews:

Guest - Sorry but I don't agree with you on the Cory (RIP) part... Don't know what he's like personally but I don't see Finn like that.

Tori - Happy you liked it and sorry for the long wait but I can tell you that it will end, the oneshots are the never ending story ;)