I decided it might be a good idea to put memo's here and copyrights and yadayada. ;)

Sorry it took so long to update! I was on vacation with a bunch of friends and left the flash drive at home. But here's the new chapter. ;D

I don't own glee, only my original characters.

Life is a lot like Jazz… it's best when you improvise. – George Gershwin

It was the next week and the complete glee club (minus Rachel who had quit due to her not getting all the solos) were gathered in the choir room. Mr. Shue had announced earlier today that the club would be hosting an invitational to get out in the world. He also announced that Jazzebel would be taking Rachel's spot on Don't Stop Believing. Jazz would also have the female lead on Last Name by Carrie Underwood. She was especially excited about that because she loved how her voice went with country music.

That's what they were practicing now. She and Finn started to sing in harmony, smiling at eachother. Finn wrapped his hand around her stomach and waist and Jazz followed suit. They were spinning around when Quinn said, "Oh my god." Put a hand over her mouth and ran out of the room.

Finn (and for some reason Cory) looked like he wanted to chase after her but Jazz patted his arm and followed her into the bathroom.

Quinn was already puking in a stall, so Jazz entered quietly and held back her hair away from her mouth. When she finished, she leaned back against the wall and looked up at Jazz.

"What're you doing here?" She asked. It wasn't meant to be harsh, only a question.

"Finn's really worried about you." Jazz said, sliding down the stall to sit next to her. "But he can't really follow you in here, can he?" Quinn shrugged so Jazz continued. "You really need a friend right now, I know."

"How would you know?" Quinn snapped, and then shrunk back, staring at the floor.

"Last year, I was in the school musical where I used to live. The girl that played my mother, she ended up pregnant by the lead male opposite me. He didn't want anything to do with her, and neither did anyone else. She had a really hard time; she ended up trying to take her life. Luckily, she failed. I stuck by her afterwards, and she ended up with a beautiful little boy. She's a junior now."

Quinn didn't say anything but smiled at her. "This doesn't mean you can talk to me in the hallways though." She added quickly.

Jazz laughed and stood, extending her hand to help Quinn up. Quinn took it, and went to wash her hands. Jazz threw her a piece of gum. "For the breath." Quinn laughed.

"One more thing, Lentz." Quinn said, about to walk out of the bathroom. "Stay away from Finn." She winked and smiled as she said this and disappeared behind the door.

"Hey, Finn!" Jazz yelled while she was walking into school the next day. Finn was walking out of the counselor's office, looking confused. "What's up?" She asked, grabbing his arm and dragging him down the hallway.

"Just thinking about collage." He looked really distracted as he pulled her to a halt in the middle of the hallway. "Glee club needs to win, a lot. I need a scholarship."

Jazz saw where this was going, "We need Rachel back."

"Don't get me wrong." Finn said hurriedly. "You're an amazing singer…"

"We just need everyone," Jazz finished. "I understand. But if she thinks I'm giving up Last Name, she can forget it." She winked and Finn sighed out loud. Cory caught their eye andmotioned to them to hurry up from down the hallway.

Together, they made their way to glee club.

Up front stood a small, pretty, blond woman who looked as old as Will, if not older. Her eyes were partially glazed over, and Jazz could smell the alcohol from the doorway.

"There's someone very important I'd like you to meet." Mr. Shue said, as people settled down. Jazz ended up sitting between Cory and Puck. "This is April Rhoades. She's our newest member." April made little guns with her hands and pretended to fire them. Jazz frowned and she saw Puck as he checked April out. Cory reached behind Jazz and smacked the back of his head.

"Wait, so old people can join glee club now?" Finn asked, looking more confused than he had this morning.

"Old, huh?" April said, he face falling. "You guys look like the worlds worst Benetton ad." She laughed at her own joke.

"Mr. Shue?" Artie spoke up. "This seems like a terrible idea." Jazz and a few others (minus Puck) shook their head in agreement.

"April is a wonderful singer and she never graduated." Mr. Shue told them, shaking his head. "She'll take all the female leads for the invitational."

"That includes Last Name?" Jazz asked, her head pulsing. Mr. Shue shouldn't be allowed to do that to her. She was given the part fair and square. Only now did she notice the puppy-dog look on his face.

"Yes it does." He said, looking excited and not sorry at all for hurting Jazz's feelings. Jazz stood up and walked towards the door. His face fell and he asked, "Where are you going?"

"I have to pee." Jazz said simply, wiping her eyes and walking faster out the door. Mr. Shue just smiled and began talking again.

Throughout the rest of the day, she kept quiet, and kept to herself. Finn, Kurt, Mercedes, and Cory all tried talking to her but she really didn't want to talk to anyone. At the end of the day, she hurried out of the locker room after football practice and to her locker. Puck was waiting there for her.

"Hey, Flames." He said, leaning against the locker next to hers and she hurriedly shoved her books in it. "I noticed you ran out of class today, and I'd just like to say…"

Jazz slammed her locker and faced him, "I really don't feel like it today, Puckerman. I know you think she's a fox or cougar or what ever, so why don't you go talk to her?"

She stormed out of the building, but Puck was following on her heels. "I was going to say, that yeah, she's hot, and yeah, I do have a thing for cougars. But you're a way better singer than her." Jazz stopped, Puck almost ran into her. He continued cautiously. "And Mr. Shue taking those solos away from you isn't right, just cause he has some kind of creepy, old guy crush." Jazz laughed to herself.

"You really mean that Noah?" He shook his head. "Thank you. But I can't really do anything about it. I guess I'll just stick through it." She began walking away, and he continued to follow.

"Where are ya headed?" He asked, stepping up beside her.

"I'm walking over to Dakota's kindergarten, to take him over to the park." Jazz said, thinking Noah reminded her of a puppy.

Just like Mr. Shue is to that Old Woman.

"Do you mind if I come along?" He asked, "I kind of want to meet this kid. I mean, he's managing to live with you and Cory."

Jazz playfully hit his arm, "Come if you must."

It took them less than three minutes to reach the school, and Dakota was waiting outside for them. He ran up to Jazz and jumped into her arms. She picked him up with ease. "Hey, D. This is my friend Noah."

"You know," He said, wriggling out of his arms. "If he's you're boyfriend, you can tell me. I won't tell Cory."

Noah started laughing as Jazz's face turned red. "No, Dakota. We really are just friends."

"Okay, I won't tell Cory anyways." The little boy winked and set off down the sidewalk, towards the park. Noah and Jazz trailed behind.

"You were right," Noah said, after he'd managed to stop laughing. "He's a fun little kid."

"Sorry about that." Jazz said, her cheeks still red. She rubbed the back of her head. "Before kindergarten, he kept getting kicked out of day cares so he hung around with adults a lot. I guess because my mom and Denis had to start taking him to work."

"No, it's alright." Noah said, ruffling her hair. "He's even funnier than Cory."

When the reached the park, Dakota ran towards the swings. Noah offered to go push him, so Jazz took a seat on a bench, facing the swing set. She pulled out a book and began to read.

After a while she realized she'd been reading the same paragraph over and over because she kept looking up to watch Noah with Dakota. He got on so well with the little boy, Jazz couldn't believe it. Noah would chase him around, and when he caught him he'd pick him up and give him a raspberry. Jazz found she was laughing as Noah tried to climb up a tunnel slide and Dakota screamed into it, making Noah slide back down.

A song popped into her head and she began to sing while watching Noah, "They say he do a little this, he do a little that, he's always in trouble and I heard, he's nothing put a pimp, he's done a lot of chicks. He's always in the club and they say he think he's slick, he's got a lot of chips, he's selling them drugs and I heard he's been locked up, find somebody else, he ain't nothing but a thug."

Noah looked up and waved to her as Dakota jumped onto his back. "So what, so what. So what, so what."

She turned back to her book, trying to get some reading done. Jazz heard voices whispering behind her and she smirked. Dakota crawled under the bench on the right side and looked up at her, she pretended she was going to spit on him and he squealed. But then a pair of strong arms lifted her up into the air, and started carrying her towards the play set.

Noah set her down at the highest level and let Dakota get up there with them. "I have an idea!" Dakota said as he joined them. "Go down there, Noah." Noah jumped down and looked up, waiting for further instructions. "Okay, so pretend I'm the dragon and Jazz is the princess, and I'm guarding her until a knight can defeat me. Noah can be the knight." Jazz laughed as Dakota tried to do a fierce growl.

Noah immediately took to his role, and started play fighting Dakota. They were all over the play set; Jazz was leaning on a railing watching them. Noah could not seem to get past Dakota though. Eventually, Dakota growled and jumped at him, knocking him over. He yelled in triumph and Noah kept his eyes closed.

"I cannot," Noah began, snapping his eyes open, "let the fair princess down." He picked up a stick and shoved it between Dakota's side and arm. This resulted in a very intricate death scene, with twitches and his eyes rolling back

"And now," Dakota said in a growling voice, lifting his head once more. "I'm dead." He dropped his head.

Noah hurried up to her and dropped to a knee. Jazz held out his head, which he kissed. "And I have saved you fair maiden."

Dakota stood up, an evil look in his eye. "Now you have to kiss him!" Jazz nearly choked.

"What?" Jazz said, staring at the jumping little boy.

"We must do as the little boy says." Noah said getting closer. Jazz rolled her eyes and kissed his check quickly, then pushed him down the open slide. His eyes grew as he fell, and landed with an oomph on the ground under the slide.

"I think that…" Jazz said, staring down at Noah. "That the Princess conquers all."

Dakota started laughing and teasing Noah as Jazz climbed down.

Noah and Dakota played for a little while more, but when Dakota fell asleep in the slide, Jazz called it quits.

"That's enough for today." She said as Noah set him on his shoulders.

"But I'm not even tired." Dakota complained, falling asleep on Noah's head. "You're Mohawk is a good pillow you know."

Jazz giggled and nudged Noah with her hip. She pulled out her phone and told Cory to pick them up at the parking lot.

"Thanks for the help today," Jazz said taking Dakota off Noah's shoulders, and holding the snoozing child in her arms. "I think he had a blast."

"No, I did." Noah said. "I haven't been myself in so long, it felt really good."

Cory's car pulled into the parking lot, so Jazz started to walk away. She turned around when she was about halfway there to see Noah staring at her. "Noah. Even if you have a lousy father… You're going to be a great dad one day."

Something unreadable crossed his face, but then he smiled. Jazz waved and made her way to Cory's car.

April had been her for about a week and Jazz had decided she couldn't stand her. Somehow, she had won over almost all the rest of the gleeks, but not Jazz. Oh, she had tired by offering to teach her how to die her hair blond. But that had offended more than it had helped. Everywhere she went, April was there.

Hanging off Puck's arm.

She and Puck hadn't talked much since the park, unless it was to say, "Hey, Flames." He was fully focused on April, the hot, old woman. It's not like she liked Puck as more than a friend (that she would admit), but she had really believed that he meant what he said that day.

Finn walked by and she grabbed his arm, falling into the flow of people. "You need to get Rachel back." Jazz said, "I don't care how you do it, but just do it." She gave a little yelp and disappeared into the pre-cal room as April walked down the hallway on the arms of Puck and another football player.

Jazz was slightly distracted at the next glee practice. She and Cory had taken Dakota out bowling and pizza. As they were leaving, Cory noticed Finn at a lane, with someone hidden behind a pole. As him and Jazz approached it turned out to be Finn and Rachel. Only now they were kissing. Cory was livid; he wanted to go hit Finn with all his might. But Jazz and Dakota managed to drag him out, and get him home with anyone getting hurt.

"I got it," Kurt said, snapping her out of her daze. "Maybe Quinn's lactose intolerant." Jazz rolled her eyes. She knew they were guessing what was wrong with her.

"That doesn't explain all the crying." Artie said, with wide eyes.

Jazz's eyes flashed to Puck, who was looking over at them while he messed around with the guitar. Somehow, the way his interests perked at the conversation, she knew he knew too.

"M-maybe she just doesn't like the group." Tina tried.

"Are you all that stupid?" Puck said, looking at them with a tired expression.

"Puck, shut up." Jazz warned.

"Seriously, I bet you thought Bert and Ernie were just roommates." Puck continued.

"I mean it Puck; it's not your place to tell them." Jazz stood up the time, narrowing her eyes threateningly.

He ignored her. "Maybe Quinn's got one in the Oven."

"Puck!" Jazz yelled, her eyes getting wide.

"Who's the babies' daddy?" Mercedes asked. Jazz knew he'd planted the seed, now it was going to be top gossip.

"Who do you think?" Puck said, walking away from Jazz, who was staring at him with a horror-stricken expression. "Finn."

Kurt let out a loud gasp, smiling. Jazz clenched her fists and Rachel walked in at that exact moment.

"Yes, you've heard right. I am returning to glee club." Puck rolled his head back, and walked away from her. Jazz looked over at Cory. He was staring dumbstruck at where Puck had been sitting a while ago, but as Rachel talked, his fist clenched tighter. She continued to talk but Jazz couldn't hear her over the throbbing in her head.

Everyone ignored her too and began whispering among themselves.

"Uh, excuse me. I thought I'd be welcomed back with a tad more enthusiasm."

"Sorry, glee club has been rocked with its first scandal." Kurt said.
"We don't need to tell her!" Jazz said, but everyone kept ignoring her.

"Quinn's knocked up." Mercedes said.

"And the baby daddy…" Kurt began.

"That whore of a man you 'love' or whatever." Cory finished, pushing past Rachel.

She stared after him and Jazz bit her lip, feeling almost sorry for her. Rachel stormed out, she heard her say Finn and then an audible slapping sound was heard. She began telling him out.

Puck sat in the corner playing the guitar. Jazz stalked furiously up to him.

"And here it comes." Puck stood up, set the guitar in the stand, and tried to walk away from her. She followed.

"Listen here Puckerman. You had no right to tell them that. It was Finn and Quinn's job when they were ready." Her nostrils flared dangerously. "You are an asshole. But I'm not even going to chide you, because you're not worth it." She turned on her heel, but then faced him again. He was staring at her with a blank expression. "If you can't even take care of your own friends. I don't see you ever being able to take care of anyone. Maybe I was wrong. Maybe you will bejustlike you're father." Before he could say anything, she turned around and left.

That night was the invitational, but Jazz just didn't feel up to it. Cory had at least gotten her to the school, but she couldn't make herself get dressed. All she could do was stare at her reflection and comb out the same piece of hair, over and over again.

There was a knock at the door (all the other girls had dressed and were in the choir room) but Jazz ignored it and continued what she was doing. "Hey, Jazzebel." Puck stood in front of her, in his little cowboy costume. She frowned at him in the mirror and set the brush down.

"What?"

"I was thinking about what happened earlier…"

"When you probably just ruined your best friends' life?" Jazz snapped, standing up and walking over to the costumes.

"Yeah, that." Puck said his voice fainter. "I feel really bad about what I did." Jazz turned around and she was going to yell at him again, but he was standing over her now, very close. "And I promise." He took her hand, and looked into her eyes. "I will prove to you, that I can and will be better than my dad."

"How do you plan to do that?" Jazz asked, he voice coming out in barely a whisper. Her eyes kept glancing at his lips.

"I don't know." He said, stepping back towards the door. "But I will." Noah left. Then Puck stuck his head back in. "You're pretty hot when you're angry, Flames."

Jazz threw the brush at the door as he shut it. He was like Jackell and Hyde, except it was Puck and Noah. He was a handful. But man, could he make her wild.

She dress quickly and made her way to the choir room. As she walked in April was kissing Puck, and he was kissing back. Jazz shut her eyes and walked back to the dressing room and started brushing her hair again.

In the reflection of the mirror she saw April walking towards her, holding the leading ladies pink and gold cowgirl outfit. Jazz stood up quickly and faced her.

"Why don't you have that on? We go on soon." Jazz asked, confused.

"Well, I realized. I had my time on the stage. Now I'm an old drunk." She said, trying to joke. Jazz didn't laugh. "It's your turn, hunny." April handed her the outfit. "And sorry about kissing that Puckerman boy. I can see you have something for him."

"I do not…" She started to protest but April shushed her.

"Hurry and get dressed. I'll be cheering you on." April made for the door. "That is if I'm not passed out."

"Mr. Shue." Finn said, voicing was everyone was thinking. "We can't go on without April, she's our leading lady."
"What about Jazz?" She asked while walking through the doors. Jazz was wearing April's costume, which was slightly tight but made her look good.

"That will work!" Mr. Shue exclaimed. "Everyone get to your places. Jazz, improvise from what you know."

Everyone took their place on the stage as Principal Higgins introduced the McKinley High Glee club.

The music started up and Jazz shook her hips to the beat, her back to the audience. She flipped around and began dancing her own way, while the choir did their choreography behind her. "Last night, I got served a little bit too much of that poison, baby." She pulled off her hat, winked at the crowd and threw it. "Last night, I did things I'm not proud of and I got a little crazy" Jazz walked around the dancing Puck and Cory, gripping the arms and running her hands down them. "Last night, I met a guy on the dance floor and I let him call me baby."

Jazz picked up with the rest of the choreography for most of the chorus. "And I don't even know his last name. My momma would be so ashamed. It started off, "hey cutie where you from," and then it turned into oh no, what have I done" She made her way back to the middle of the stage. "And I don't even know his last name." Puck slapped her butt and she yelled, "Whoa," and shook her finger at him.

"We left, the club, 'bout around 3 o'clock in the morning." Jazz danced Kurt backwards, until Michel grabbed her and spun her around. She landed on Puck, who had his hat down. She pushed off of him. "His Pinto, sitting there, in the parking lot, well it should have been a warning." She let Artie chase around the stage, then kick his chair on the back, making it roll off. "I had no clue what I was getting into." She spun around and landed in Puck's arms, which always happened to just be there. "So, I'll blame it on the Cuervo." Puck spun her out, and she stepped back, her arms in the air.

"I don't even know his last name." As the choir danced behind her, Jazz walked across the front of the stage, doing little dance moves here and there. "Oh my momma would be so ashamed." She danced in front of everybody, singing her heart out. "Yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah." Puck grabbed her hand and pulled her back, spinning her around. Jazz grabbed on to Finn's arm so he could pull her to face the crowd. "And I don't even know," She got quieter. "My last name." Puck and Cory lifted her up as she finished. "Oh, yeah."

The crowd was already cheering before Jazz had sung her last note. After a few seconds, everyone dropped their pose and began celebrating. Jazz looked out into the crowd and saw April standing in the door way, giving her and thumbs up. With a wink she disappeared behind the door.

Everyone was getting ready for the next piece, laughing and joking and changing costumes. No one had even brought up who was doing the next song, everyone assumed April would come and do that one.

Mr. Shue walked in, but everyone continued to talk and exclaim how well they had just done.

"April's not coming back." Everyone one got quiet as their teacher said this. "I screwed up bringing her here. It was about me and glee club is supposed to be about you guys." Mr. Shue nodded at Jazz. "You don't need her to be great."

"But we need her for the second act." Mercedes said.

"I can't step in here." Jazz said, shaking her head as a few inquiring eyes turned her way.

"I'll just have to go out there and tell them we had to cut the show short." Everyone shook their heads, disappointed. "Hey, guys. You were great. Don't worry. There will be other performances."

"Excuse me." From behind Mr. Shue, Rachel stepped up. "Jazz, you did amazing on that song, really." Jazz smiled at her gratefully. "I think I may have a solution. In show business, when a star can't perform, her understudy steps in. I'd be happy to go on for April if you let me."

"Since when are you willing to be an understudy?" Mercedes asked, giving her an incredulous look.

"Since I quit the play." Rachel said, stepping forward.
"Really? Why?" Kurt asked, a little too quickly.

"I realized being a star didn't make me feel as special as being your friend." Jazz's smile grew, and she was willing to let Rachel rejoin them, but Cory kept a hand on her shoulder. "If I let you down when you needed me the most, I'd never forgive myself." No one accepted her yet (Cory still hand still firmly on Jazz's shoulder). She stepped forward again. "I know all the words to the song."

"You don't know the Choreography." Quinn put out. Jazz glared at the back of her head and shrugged Cory off.

"Then we'll need to give you a lot of help out there." Jazz said, standing up and walking up next to Finn. Everyone smiled in acceptance.

"Go get in your costume." Mr. Shue told her. She smiled big and ran off.

It was the next day at school. Glee had performed a perfect show. It was like when she had made the winning touchdown at the last football game. Quiet a few people were telling her how good she was as she walked down the hallway.

That night, she and Noah had made some kind of connection. At least that's what she thought anyway. That thought was pushed from her mind as she turned down the hallway to his locker. Santana was leaning against it, and Puck was sucking her neck. She gave an audible gasp, and turned and fled.

Puck looked up, realizing someone was staring. He saw red hair disappear around the corner and was about to go after it when Santana grabbed his belt loops and started kissing him again.

Jazz knew Puck staying the nice Noah was a long shot, but she had wanted to believe it for some reason. He was a guy, and all guys did not think with their brain. She was rubbing her temples as she came up to her locker.

A cute boy was leaning against the one next to hers. He had sparkling green eyes and long sandy blond hair. When he saw her he perked up and stood straight, off the lockers.

"Jazzebel, right?" He asked, in a smooth, English accent. Jazz's heart melted.

"Jazz." She said, "And I'm sorry, I don't think we've ever met."

"No, I don't believe we have." The boy extended his hand, smiling. "Oliver Jones. I transferred in a bit after you, apparently."

"Oh, so you're taking to stalking me now." Jazz shook his hand and winked at him. As he talked, she could pick up where his English turned to American. She guessed he had been living in America for a while, but had been trying not to lose the accent.

"Not exactly. I just have taken to asking about you, since I find you highly attractive." Oliver watched as his words sunk in and Jazz's face burn.

"You don't play football do you?" Jazz asked, changing the subject.

"No, I prefer hockey, myself. But I heard you are an excellent athlete." Oliver complimented her again. Jazz looked up at his crooked grin that showed perfect teeth. "And you are a wonderful singer and dancer. I went to the glee show last night. I was amazed. Probably because I couldn't sing a note to save my life."

"Well, thank you." Jazz said.

"The bell's going to ring, but I was hoping we could talk again soon." Oliver said, walking down the opposite hall backwards. "At a restaurant, perhaps." Jazz shook her head dumbly, smiling brightly. "Brilliant." Oliver flashed one more smile before turning into his class room.

Jazz couldn't help thinking that just as Noah had denied her; a beautiful English boy had fallen into her lap. She continued to grin the rest of the day and not even Cory could figure out why.