Who I Am Now Chapter 3: New York’s Callin My Name, a glee fanfic

I'm so sorry I'm late with this and I'll try to do better in the future. The song is Always Be My Baby by Mariah Carey.

Enjoy and review!

NJPNJPNJP

Mercedes: POV

I was a little sad seeing the retreat in the rearview mirror. But I would use what I'd learned there to make my relationship the best it could be.

As for me and my friends, we were singing songs loudly in the car on the way home. We decided to call the guys and have them come over to our house so we could hang out a bit before they went home.

We'd had that much fun being around each other unsupervised.

Anyway, Marcy parked outside our house and we all got out. We went inside and saw the guys were in the kitchen, rifling through the fridge and cabinets for food.

"Really? What are you? a bunch of raccoons?!" Marcy gave them a dirty look.

Mikey swallowed what was in his mouth. "We do like to stay up late."

She laughed. "You should do something about the bags under your eyes."

"But I'm a pretty raccoon!"

I burst out laughing. Mikey was a true enough nut! "Shut up!"

"You can't handle my realness." He snapped his fingers.

T wrapped her arms around him and laughed. "Who are you right now?!"

"This is his default." Marcy waved her hand at him.

"I'm offended that you would even say that." Mikey frowned.

"You know you're silly."

"Kiss your boyfriend." Of course he didn't want to hear that.

Mal walked over to Marcy and tried to kiss her but she kept evading his lips. "Ugh! Get away from me!"

"Nope!" Mal licked her face.

Which was amazing to view. It went from disgust to shock to straight horror. She screamed so loud, I'm sure people in China heard her. Then she started sobbing uncontrollably.

Mal laughed and wrapped his arms around her. "Marce, I'm sorry. I'm sorry. Calm down. I'll wash your face."

As bad as she was and she couldn't handle a little spit? I wanted to talk about her but she held grudges and was cruel. She'd wait for me to have this baby and seek vengeance.

Mal washed her face then kissed her cheek. "You're fine. You're okay."

She hit him. Then she hit him again. She kept on hitting him. "Jerk!"

"Mini Mama?" Noah's eyes were wide. "I ain't never heard nobody scream like that."

Marcy hit Mal one last time then sniffled as she turned to Noah. "Shut up."

I rubbed her back and kept my smile small. "It's okay, Marcy. You're okay."

She swiped at me. "I'm fine!"

"After that fit you just threw." Mikey was seriously bad.

"Remind me to come into your room and have Secret leave you a present in your precious shoes."

His mouth fell open. "Don't bring your demon dog into my room!"

"He's not a demon!"

"And stay away from my shoes!" He went on like she hadn't spoken.

"We'll see."

Artie chuckled. "Nothing you do is going to make us forget you just cried from your boyfriend licking you."

"How about I wheel your ass into traffic?" She asked.

"I don't remember the last few minutes. Did something happen?"

She was going to do her best to make us forget her moment of weakness, I saw. I clapped my hands. "Don't you want to know about our weekend?"

"Not really." Mal muttered.

I reached out and slapped him upside the head. "Shut up! You do!"

"Ow!" He put Marcy between us. "Mean!"

Ellen pinched him. "We had a great time."

"Mostly." Tana smirked. "Patti really hated it there."

"Why you gotta throw me under the bus?" Marcy questioned.

"Well you did. You put up the most fuss."

"I will spank you."

"Ooh!"

"It won't feel good."

"Poo!" Tana scowled.

"Did you just say "poo"?" Mikey stared at her.

"Got a problem with it, Chang?!" She set her hands on her hips.

He looked her over then looked at Artie, who shrugged. He opened his mouth but I knew it was going to be bad so I jumped in. "No! Of course not! He was just surprised. No harm in that, is there?"

Mikey stuck his lips out and I knew right then, I did the right thing,

Tana glared at him before turning to me. "Keep him on a leash, Wheezy!"

"Got it." I hit Marcy and Mal.

"Not fair!" Mal wheezed.

"Why'd you hit Marcy and Mal?" Britt asked.

I thought up a lie. "I was punishing them for something." Not exactly a lie.

"Oh. What was it?"

Really?! I wracked my brain. "They stole my diary."

"So you want it back?" Mal asked.

I turned to him with outraged eyes. "You took my diary again?!"

MAP

Puck: POV

I laughed at the look on Mama's face. She looked ready to kill her little brother. Kick wrapped her arms around her just as she made to jump on him.

"Calm down, MercyCat." Kick rubbed her stomach.

"He is just so annoying!" Mama shouted.

Mini Mama know she wrong. Mal was hiding behind her, holding her for safety but she kept inching closer to Mama.

Kick noticed and moved Mama away. Mini Mama kept coming closer. Too bad Elle Woods noticed and grabbed Mal to pull him away.

Mini Mama crossed her arms and sulked.

Mike and Wheels were dying laughing. I was cracking up, too.

Rachel was watching them like it was TV and she didn't know the show. "We have a surprise for you guys."

"What kind of surprise?" Wheels wiggled his eyebrows.

"A song."

"Of course." His face dropped.

Mike and I laughed at him.

Britt hit his shoulder. "It's a love song."

"I'm guessing Mike and I are sitting this out?" Tina crossed her arms.

"We can sing you two a different song." Mama was calm now.

"Yay." Mike went back to stuffing his face.

"I'm with him." Mini Mama hooked a thumb at her brother. "I'm hungry."

"We're singing, Moppet." Q bossed.

Mini Mama snapped something off in another language while getting close to Mike.

Q reached out to hit her but she was out of range.

Mike was snickering while Mal was straight up laughing. Mama was blushing. "Marcy!"

"Yeah, I said it." Mini Mama stole a chip from Mike.

Q was red as hell. "I can't believe you said that!"

"I can't believe you can't believe I said that."

"You're as bad as Mal!"

"What?!" Both looked surprised.

"She's worse than me!" Mal pointed to Mini Mama.

Mini Mama turned to him before dropping her scowl. "I can admit that but barely."

He looked at her. She looked back. They just stood there for a minute before she ran her hand down his face. "Thank you."

"You're welcome." She took another chip from Mike, who moved with the bag.

Mal pulled a face.

Q said something in another language that made Mike stop running from Mini Mama and laugh, Mama giggle, Mal smile and Mini Mama cock her head in confusion.

Q lifted her nose. "Humph!"

Mini Mama narrowed her eyes like she was trying to figure something out. "Were you trying to insult me?"

"Yeah." Q looked less sure.

"I do that, you know."

Q blushed as Mama's jaw dropped and she blushed, too. "Marcy!"

"I started doing it when I got pregnant."

"Marcy!" Both yelled.

"I did."

"Okay, I don't need to hear this." Mike shook his head.

"Why don't you do it with Tina?"

Mike's eyes widened. "I like her!"

"What are you guys talking about?" Wheels asked.

"Movies." Mini Mama didn't miss a beat.

"Oh my goodness!" Mama looked ready to pass out.

"I bet Puck would love to do it."

Her eyes widened. "No!"

"I bet he would."

Now I wanted to know. "I'd do it."

"Noah!" Mama waved a hand at me.

"How are you going to volunteer for something you know nothing about?" Mike shook his head at me.

"It can't be that bad if Mini Mama does it." I shrugged.

Mini Mama gave this really weird giggle. It was short but she wasn't smiling.

Mal shook his head. "Don't follow her like a plan. That's how I get in trouble."

Mini Mama said something I had no hope of understanding and he just shrugged.

"Now I need alcohol." Mike just gave her the chip bag.

She brightened and said something else that had Q, Mama and Mal blushing.

Mike looked a little green. "I will lock you in a convent!"

"You're mean." Mini Mama picked out chips and looked at them. I don't know what she was looking for.

"I can't believe you said that!" Q whispered.

"Out loud!" Mama agreed.

"Stop telling on me!" Mal bit off.

Mini Mama obviously didn't give a shit because she said something else I didn't get.

Mal waved his hands and started yelling.

She yelled back.

Mama and Q started yelling.

Mike whistled loudly. "Stop that! Be good, Moppet! Calm down, Mal! Guys, that's the absolute worst way to calm them down!"

"You're not Marc." Mini Mama made a face.

"I'll call Laura." He threatened.

"You'll have to talk to her." She tossed back.

He stilled.

Mama hit Mini Mama. "Stop it! Be good! I'll tell Daddy and PM!"

"Tell 'em." Mini Mama was bad as hell.

Mal said something in what I can only imagine Japanese to be.

Mini Mama pouted. "Okay."

"That's what's going to make you good?!" Mama set her hands on her hips.

"What else would?" Mike seemed too done with her.

"Unbelievable." Q rolled her eyes. "Can we sing now?"

"You can sing whenever you want." Mini Mama shrugged.

"Why are you such a menace?! Just sing!"

"I don't want to."

"Why not?" Q groaned.

"I don't feel like it."

"Why not?!"

"Because."

"We're getting nowhere." Mike sighed before leaning over to whisper in her ear.

She nodded. "I'll sing."

"What did you threaten her with?" Wheels asked.

"Nothing." Mike shrugged.

"Then how-?"

"So are we singing or what?" Mini Mama tried to eat another chip.

Mama took it. "You guys stand right there and we'll stand here."

Finn and Wheels came over to where Mike and I were standing, Mal, Tina and Kurt and Bowties came over to stand around us.

The other girls stood over by the table and they started harmonizing before singing.

Mama: "We were as one, babe For a moment in time Rachel: And it seemed everlasting That you would always be mine Q: Now you wanna be free So I'm letting you fly Mama: Cuz I know in my heart, babe Our love will never die, no

All: You'll always be a part of me I'm part of you indefinitely Boy, don't you know you can't escape me Ooh darling, cuz you'll always be my baby And we'll linger on Time can't erase a feeling this strong No way you're never gonna shake me Ooh darling, cuz you'll always be my baby

Satan: I ain't gonna cry, no And I won't beg you to stay Britt: If you're determined to leave, boy I will not stand in your way Rachel: But inevitably You'll be back again Elle Woods: Cuz you know in your heart, babe Our love will never end, no, no

I know that you'll be back, boy Mini Mama: When your days and your nights get a little bit colder, oh All: I know that

Mini Mama: You'll be right back, baby Mama: Oh baby, believe me it's only a matter of time

Mini Mama: Time!

You'll always be a part of me I'm part of you indefinitely Boy, don't you know you can't escape me Ooh darling, cuz you'll always be my baby Mini Mama: (You and I will always be)

And we'll linger on Time can't erase a feeling this strong

Mini Mama: (You and I) No way you're never gonna shake me

Mini Mama: (You and I) Ooh darling, cuz you'll always be my baby

Mini Mama: You and I will always be

No way you're never gonna shake me

You and I will always

All: Ooh whoa"

"Aww!" Tina clapped. "That was so adorable! Our song next! Our song next!"

Mama laughed. "We haven't rehearsed another song."

"What songs do you know off the top of your head?"

"A ton but there's a certain song that I think you'll want to hear." Mama grinned.

"What is it?" Tina was too happy.

"It's not my song." Mama was hiding something.

"Whose song is it?"

Mama looked at Mini Mama, who was totally not paying attention.

"Marcy!"

Mini Mama jumped. "What?!"

"Can you sing me your song?"

"What?" Mini Mama was completely lost.

"Mercy said you have a song-"

"You rotten, no good,-"

"You can't curse at me." Mama broke in. "I'm pregnant."

"I dislike you greatly."

"I know and I'm sorry but sing the monkey song. Please?" Mama begged prettily.

Q clapped. "I love when you sing the monkey song!"

"What's the monkey song?" Finn asked.

"It's so cute!"

"Oh no." Mini Mama shook her head. "That's not about to happen. You can stop that right now."

"Please?!" Mama hugged her.

Q joined their hug. "Please?!"

"You-!" Mini Mama looked like she was about to cuss them out. "Fine you-!"

"No cussing." Mama hurried to say.

"Sweet, sweet person."

"No cussing in your head either."

"That's not going to happen."

"Okay. But you're still gonna sing, right?"

"Yeah, I'm still gonna sing."

"Okay, get your baby guitar."

"It's a ukelele." Mini Mama sighed.

"You can play the ukelele?" Tina giggled.

Mini Mama gave her this dirty look that made her stop giggling. "Yes."

"That's good." Tina nodded quickly with wide eyes.

"Demon." Mike spat.

"I hate all of you." Mini Mama pushed her sisters off of her and walked out.

We all followed her to the den, where she went to that cubbyhole that had their instruments. She picked up the case.

"You guys are gonna love this." Mama swore.

"I didn't know you could play the ukelele, Boo Thang." Wheels grinned.

She shrugged.

"You should take it up at school." Finn joked.

"How lame would an ukelele class be?"

"At least it'd fill your day." Bowties pointed out.

"My days are plenty full." She tuned it by playing chords.

"Yeah but you should take full classes this year. You're probably going to take hard ones when you go off to college."

I frowned. "I thought you were going to Juilliard?"

"I am." She lowered the string instrument and looked at me.

"We didn't agree to that." Mal crossed his arms.

"Agree?" She lifted a brow.

"We haven't picked a college yet."

"And we won't. I'm going to Juilliard."

"Marce!"

"Mal!" She shot back.

"You can't make those kinds of decisions! Not without talking to us!"

"Why would I talk to you?! I don't have to run nothing by you!"

"We have kids! We need to be on the same page!"

"As long as that page says Juilliard, we are!"

"Guys!" Mama tried to stop them.

"Maybe I don't want to go to New York?!" Mal sped right over that.

"I don't give a damn what you want!" Mini Mama made a face like caring about his wants was something new for her.

"Marcy, that's not nice!" Elle Woods gasped.

"I never said I wanted you anywhere near me anyway!" She blew right past that.

"Woman, how you vex me so!" Mal pretended he was choking her.

"Like you can't work a nerve! Go to your own school! Stop following me!"

"I will never follow you again if you led to the pearly gates of heaven!"

"Good luck burning in hell!"

"Without you, it'll be a picnic!"

Then she said something I had no chance of understanding. Mama and Q gasped southern lady style while Mike mouthed the word "wow".

Mal looked furious. He shot forward and picked Mini Mama up. He slung her over his shoulder like a bag of potatoes and strolled right the fuck out while Mini Mama flailed around. Elle Woods ran behind him, scream-asking what he was about to do.

We heard a door slam closed and it was quiet.

"So…?" Wheels said. "What'd she say?"

MAP

Mercedes: POV

"She can cut a man to the quick." Mikey whistled low.

"Will they be alright? He seemed pretty mad." Blaine looked concerned.

I grimaced. "He'll get her to apologize."

"Really?" Noah looked at me like I lied.

"He'll probably tell her she hurt his feelings. She doesn't mean to but she gets really mad."

"Does she really not want to go to college together?" Rachel asked.

"She's been dreaming of Juilliard since she found out about it." Lucy shrugged.

"Yeah but if he doesn't want to go to New York, will she take his kids from him?" Noah crossed his arms.

"Let's just hope they can talk it out." I placated him.

"I really wanted to hear the song though." T pouted.

"We can play with Beth and the twins." I suggested. All three children looked scarred. They weren't used to use fighting in front of them.

Lucy picked up Beth. "Are you alright?"

"May?" The two year old pointed out the room.

"Tia May will be okay. Tio Mal just wants to talk."

I knelt down by the twins, who had their lips stuck out. I kissed their chubby cheeks. "How are you, babies?"

They began chattering in their baby talk.

Mikey picked up Mickey and started dancing with her. Just twirling with her and dipping her. She started laughing quickly while he kissed her cheeks.

Meanwhile I gave Mally Eskimo and butterfly kisses. He started giggling.

"I think you broke the nanny." Artie said. We looked to Marionette, who watched us with wide eyes.

I told her in Japanese that everything was alright and that she should probably feed the kids.

She nodded and went to the kitchen.

"But that was really weird." Finn wouldn't drop it. "I know they fight but that was huge."

"No, it wasn't." Mikey snorted as he still danced with Mickey, who was openly giggling.

Lucy smirked. "That wasn't even a medium fight."

"That's what you call a small fight?!" Kurt looked shocked.

"For people who agree on so much, they disagree a lot." I shrugged.

"Their relationship seems explosive." T peeked at the door.

"I couldn't imagine being like that." Artie said.

We all looked at him.

Britt hit his shoulder.

"I stand by my statement."

"You can't stand at all." Mikey hummed.

"Bro!" Artie looked so hurt.

"Marcy would have wanted me to say it."

"You're just bad. You wanted to say it."

"Of course not. It's not your fault you can't walk."

"You say it but I don't believe it."

"You know she wouldn't mean anything by it."

"That child is the devil and I think you're her sidekick."

"I listen to her way too much." Mikey admitted.

Lucy shrugged. "You're a good big brother."

Mikey smiled. "Thank you."

"A rotten little brother but you're amazing to us."

He glared at her.

She smiled sweetly back.

"I know you told us a few stories last year about how he got your sister." Artie remembered.

"He is Satan personified!" I told. "Before our siblings left for camp, he made Laura think her hair fell out!"

"How?" Was the first thing out of Tana's mouth as everyone else stood in stupefied awe.

"He put a skin cap on her while she was sleeping that had a few blonde hairs attached then sprinkled blonde hair around the pillow. She woke up screaming."

"And she even cried." Lucy put in. "MarcD was so mad at him."

"Worth it!" Mikey grinned.

"You're evil!" Rachel gasped.

He turned away from her.

"Do you hate your sister?" Annie asked.

"I love Laura." He continued dancing with Mickey.

Marionette came back with food for the kids.

"Are you sure?" Artie teased. "You seem to hate her."

"No." Mikey grinned.

"I'm so glad I'm an only child." T vowed.

"Me too." Rachel cosigned.

"I wish I was an only child!" Tana rolled her eyes. "Chang seems to be an older version of Gomez."

I side-eyed her. "What are you blaming on that baby?"

"Baby my foot! He's evil! He's only calmed down since getting with Lila-"

"He's not with Lila!" Artie turned in his chair swiftly.

"They're together." She didn't care what he thought.

"They're so cute!" Britt clapped. "They go on dates with us sometimes and he's so polite with her and he's always trying to make her smile!"

"Aww!" Lucy, T and I cooed.

"I wish I had a little brother!" Annie pouted.

"No, you don't!" Lucy, Tana and I said immediately.

"Yes, I do! I would kill to have somebody bug me!"

"I agree with Anna." Britt lifted her nose. "Having Rory was great but I want a real little brother."

"Take Gomez!" Tana said promptly.

"Take Jr.!" Lucy and I were just as quick.

"I will! I'll take both of your little brothers and I'll love them and they'll love me!" Britt hugged Artie from behind.

"We didn't say we didn't love them." I groused.

"I am!" Tana and Lucy spat.

"Stop it, guys!" I waved them away as Mikey and Artie snickered.

Lucy smacked her lips. "Fine! I might love him. Might! But he gets on my nerves!"

"Right!" Tana snapped. "I did take care of the little rugrat when he was a baby but that doesn't mean I don't want to knock his block off."

"I could kill Mal and be assured no one would look for him but I still love him." I chastised.

"Dang, Mama." Noah grinned. "You're tryin to commit murder?"

"Little brothers will drive you to do that." I nodded solemnly.

"Like little sisters are all that easier!" Artie bit off.

"What?!" Lucy and I yelped.

"I'm with Wheels!" Noah proclaimed loudly. "Little sisters are a pain! They're always asking questions-!"

"Always in your room, stealing your stuff!" Mikey snapped.

"Yeah!"

"Always tryin to grow up too fast!" Artie went on.

"Three of my sisters are teen moms!" Mikey threw us a dark look.

"Have I said sorry for that?" Noah asked. "Because I know I'd kill the dude that knocked up Nic."

"You almost went missing."

"I think I'd die if Lila told me she was pregnant." Artie seemed so serious.

"You'd be lucky if my brother knocked up Lila." Tana threw her hair over her shoulder.

"I'd run his ass over."

Lucy swatted him. "No cursing in front of the kids."

"He'll still be dead."

"I'm so glad I only have an older brother." Blaine blinked.

"Me too." Finn mumbled.

"Like older brothers are so great!" Lucy glared. "They never let you do anything and think they know everything!"

"And they never let you go anywhere with them and are always telling you what to do!" I added.

"They talk to you like you're a baby and always tell you no!"

"Who tells you no?!" Mikey yelled.

"Do you know how long I had to beg him before he let me go out with you?" Lucy looked at Finn.

"He almost didn't let me go out with Sammy." I pouted.

"Why didn't you keep to that?" Noah asked dryly.

"I should have." Mikey glared at us. "I should have kept to my plan which was to have you go through life clean!"

Lucy and I glared back.

"I'm locking Nic in a closet." Noah shook his head.

"Lila's going to a convent." Artie sighed.

"You three are going away." Mikey swore. "Some place where you can't get into trouble."

"Mikey!" I stuck my bottom lip out.

"I know what you're trying to say but I've made up my mind!"

"You're so impossible!" Lucy shouted.

"We're telling Lady!" I snapped.

"Marc'll be on my side!" He didn't care.

"This is utterly ridiculous." Kurt rolled his eyes. "You're going to find some place for them to go? What about their children?"

"We can send them all to a place in Sweden." Mikey decided. "They won't have anything to do all day but work on the farm and take care of their kids."

Lucy and I shuddered. "No!"

"Yup! I like that plan!"

"Eat?" Marionette asked in English.

Lucy took a container from her. "I'll feed her."

Mikey and I took the baby food from her and each went about feeding a twin.

"So you're really going to try to send your sisters away?" T asked.

"Yes. They have to go. Somewhere where family will be able to keep an eye on them." Mikey imitated an airplane to get Mickey to open her mouth.

"How can you be so sweet to the baby but so stubborn with your sisters?" Kurt demanded.

"I am not stubborn."

Lucy and I looked at him for that lie.

"I'm not!"

"Well…!" Artie hawed.

"Whose side are you on?!"

"I'm team Big Brother. That sounded way creepy…"

"Older brothers unite?" Noah asked.

"Better." Both agreed.

I glared at all three. "We're not going anywhere!"

We heard footsteps. Marcy, Ellen and Mal walked in calmly.

"Hey, guys?" We watched them warily.

"Thanks for feeding them." Marcy said.

"You're welcome." I mumbled. "You okay?"

"I'm fine."

Noah sniffed the air. "I'll say. You smell like sex."

She sniffed her shirt. "Hmm."

"Did you have sex?" Artie grinned.

She ran her hand over his face. "Do you want to hear the song or not?"

T came alive. "I do! But I want to know what happened between you guys. Did you come to an agreement or are you just not talking about it?"

"New York has some great selling points." Mal lifted a shoulder.

Ellen flushed. "They have some great schools."

"That must have been some talk." Artie waggled his eyebrows.

"How'd it go?" Tana high-fived her dirty man.

Marcy pursed her lips. "I think New York is a great idea. For all of us."

"All of us?" Lucy picked up a green bean to hand to Beth.

"Yes. It's really a fantastic course of action. They have great schools, great opportunities, it's the best city on Earth."

"Yeah but we can't all go to New York." I frowned in confusion.

Marcy sat at the end of a chair. "I mean we could. Artie's looking into a film school there-"

"What?!" Tana rounded on him.

"Please tell me that wasn't a secret."

"Not a secret per se." Artie leaned away from Tana, who slapped his arm.

"You're trying to go to New York when you know Britt's going to be at MIT and I'm at Kentucky U?!" She bit off.

"It's a really good school?"

She growled.

"If you come to New York, too, you'd be with him." Marcy pointed out.

"How?! That's more than a year away and I'm stuck at this stupid cow poke college!"

"It's called transferring. I know MIT is a big deal and Britt might not want to transfer but she could stay there and see you on the weekends or stay in New York and commute or find something she likes better in NYC."

"Really?" Britt tapped her bottom lip. "I'm kinda scared about MIT. I like having options."

"What about the rest of us?" I asked.

"Well, Kurt's already at NYADA and Blaine's going there. Mikey'll get to go to Juilliard and I know you've had your heart set on Brown, T but NYU is a really good school." Marcy shrugged. "If you feel the need to be challenged, double up on your major. I am."

"Really?" T liked the idea of that, I could tell.

"Yeah. I'm trying to get into Cornell as well. It's a lot but I think with a little time management, I can do it."

T was truly thinking this over.

"What about us?" Noah demanded.

"That'd solve your problem about these two giving up their dreams. They can go to better colleges and live in the same place with you and your kids. You won't have to separate. New York has a community college so if you and Finn still want that, you can transfer there. Rachel will be at NYADA and Anna will be able to go to her choice of schools in the area."

This was making too much sense. "But what about living? I doubt we can live in dorms with kids." I brought up.

She tapped her lips. "We could get a house or apartment or something. Living together could be fun."

My eyes widened. I loved that idea! "I would love to live with you guys!"

Tana's lips twisted. "Sharing a place would keep costs down."

"Do you think our parents will go for it?" Ellen asked.

"If we're upfront and mature about it, sure." Marcy nodded. "Besides, we'll be adults and can make our own decisions."

"What are you guys thinking?" I asked, too afraid to get my hopes up. I could totally live in New York!

T smiled. "I like it. New York's a great city and I'd be with my friends and my boyfriend while getting a good education. I never wanted to be away from each other."

"This really works." Annie looked excited. "We'd all be together and it would be amazing!"

Noah nodded. "I'd be away from my moms for the first time and doing what I wanted. And I'd be with my kids and my ladies. Good idea, Mini Mama."

"I love the idea!" Rachel clapped.

MAP

Quinn: POV

I'm so glad Rachel liked the idea because it sounded like the best one ever to me. I didn't want to stay in Lima. I wanted to go out in the world and spread my wings. New York would be perfect for that. It wasn't Yale but it was New York. How great is that?

"I'm in." I said. "Finn?"

Finn chewed on his bottom lip. "Do you think we really can? Live so far away from our parents and everything we've ever known?"

Everyone looked at him. "Yes!"

He took a deep breath. "Then I'm in."

"Me too!" Puck declared. "Let's ditch this one pony town!"

Britt clapped. "Yay! I can't wait!"

"Well you have to. We have to get through this next year and apply to a bunch of New York schools." Marcy popped her balloon.

"How many?" Tana demanded.

"All of them. It guarantees a better outcome of getting in somewhere and we can start planning better. We can think of places to live after the first semester is over but at the moment, we need to focus on keeping our grades up for graduation or transferring."

"Man, I'm excited!" Artie rubbed his hands together. "A place to live in New York without our parents but with each other? Awesome!"

I think this might be Marcy's best idea ever.

MAP

Mercedes: POV

"What about this?" I asked as I held a yellow onesie up to my stomach.

"That's so cute!" Lucy cooed.

"I think yellow and blue are great colors for Rae, Sis." Marcy looked over the bins to find more. "But that is an eyesore."

I frowned at her and threw it back where I found it. "You've shot down everything I've tried on!"

"To be fair, you're not actually trying any of them on. You're draping them over your stomach."

"You won't let me put them on the twins!"

"You're not using my babies as guinea pigs."

"Rotten-"

"Besides, they're too big. You need clothes for a newborn. The twins are nearly a year old."

I hated when she had a point. We were getting in some last minute shopping before the shower tomorrow and she just had to burst my bubble. "Fine!"

"We'll stop and get you a biscotti." She picked up a onesie. "You're not you when you're hungry."

Lucy burst out laughing.

"Luce!" I waved a hand.

"Sorry, Merce." She smiled. "How about this one? It's cute."

"But it's red." I pouted.

"Puck'll like it. Besides you should get Rae stuff in an assortment of colors."

"Don't be like our moms and try to force a color down our throats." Marcy wagged a finger.

"But I like purple and you like green!" I stamped a foot.

"I have no idea why you like purple but green is the superior color. But you know Momma dressed me in green because I was born in May. That was lazy as all get out."

"I am glad she moved on from the early pink she made us wear when we were first born." I admitted.

"I hated wearing pink." Lucy shuddered. "Remember when they'd dress us all alike? Most of the time we had to wear what Laura wore and since her favorite color's pink, we were stuck?"

Marcy pulled a face. "I still have nightmares."

"And going out in public?!"

"Taking pictures!" Marcy grabbed her arm.

"Doing spreads!"

"Guys!" I giggled. "Come back! It's over now! It's in the past!"

Both looked terrified until I said that. They calmed down. "Thank everything!"

"Besides, I liked dressing like you, Twin."

Lucy smiled. "We still dress alike but it's still in our own colors."

I nodded. "Okay, let's find a new store."

"Ooh! Let's go to the toy store!" Marcy's eyes lit up.

Lucy laughed. "Why?"

"So I can get new stuffed animals-so I can get the twins new stuffed animals!" She hastened to correct herself.

"Uh huh." I teased. We all liked stuffed animals (us girls) but Marcy really seemed to love them.

She lifted her nose and turned to the pram holding the twins. "Humph!"

Lucy and I giggled. "We can go."

She started walking out.

Lucy and I hurried to follow behind with the stroller with Beth. We followed her out the store and down the long halls of the mall. We caught up to her (she wasn't walking too fast) and began pointing out stores we should hit after the toy store.

"Oh my! Is that you, Mercedes?!" A shrill voice exclaimed loudly. "Quinn?! Marcy?!"

We looked around and found who was making all that noise. An old cheerleader who graduated with us in June. Unfortunately for us, an old gossipy, nosy, loud cheerleader. "Hi, Tracy."

She ran over and gave us hugs. "I feel like I haven't seen you in months!"

She hadn't. And we liked that fine. "It feels like forever." I smiled.

"And yet not long enough." Marcy had her blank face on.

"So what are you doing here?" Tracy chirped. "Shouldn't you be gearing up to go to college? Last I heard, you got into Yale, Quinn and you Mercedes, got into Pepperdine."

"You really know how to make conversation, don't you, Trace?" Marcy said.

"Thank you!"

Lucy frowned. "We're not going to Yale or Pepperdine, Tracy. We decided to stay here a year then transfer to New York."

"Ooh! That's so awesome! I hear New York's amazing! Why are you staying here a year though?"

"We have loose ends to wrap up."

Tracy nodded. "So where are you going?"

"State." I told her.

"That's good! I'm going to LCC. I have to work." She made a face.

"Where are you working?" Marcy asked. I knew what she was doing. Marcy knew people didn't like anything more than talking about themselves and while they talked their heads off, she could be imagining them going away.

And of course it worked. Tracy went on and on about her job at a factory in town. We had about five.

"Well!" Lucy interrupted after it'd been a while. "We really need to be going."

"Okay!" Tracy stopped and looked at the kids. "They're really cute! Can they talk yet?"

Lucy looked confused like she thought Tracy trapped her. "Beth can a little. She knows a lot of little words."

"How old is she?"

"Two years and four months."

"Wow! What about them? Are they crawling yet?"

"They're trying to walk." It looked like it pained Marcy to engage in this conversation.

"Can they talk?"

"Baby talk. Fluently."

Tracy giggled. "Well they're super cute." She looked at me then looked hard.

I frowned. Why was she looking at me like that?

"Oh my goodness, you're pregnant!"

I threw up my hands. Great! Now our whole graduating class will know! "Yes, I am, Tracy."

"You really let Puckerman do you like that?" She whispered.

Wow. The first time she's ever whispered and she's insulting my man. "He didn't do anything to me."

"Whoa! I can't believe you got caught. You seemed more level headed than that."

I stared at her. Who did she think she was talking to?!

"You do know birth control isn't 100% effective, don't you?" Marcy raised a brow.

"Yeah but it's high, right?" Tracy hitched a shoulder.

"High doesn't mean anything when it fails you."

She grimaced. "I'm really sorry, Mercedes. But I can't believe your parents are letting you leave Ohio and you're going to be a mom. My parents would kill me for getting pregnant and then chain me to my bed!"

"Well our parents want us to have a good life." Lucy sped through saying.

"It's really been… something seeing you, Tracy but we have to go." Marcy did, too.

"Oh! Yeah!" Tracy shook herself. "Call me and maybe all the senior girls can do something for you, Mercedes? It'll be fun."

"Sure, Tracy." I smiled even though it'd be a cold day in hell.

"Bye!" She hugged us all then ran off down the hall.

We all expelled a breath. "Ugh!"

Lucy started walking and we followed behind her. "That was unpleasant!"

"I'm not stopping for no more chickenheads. They wanna talk, they gonna walk." Marcy spat.

"Marcy." I pursed my lips but it wasn't a true rebuke. Tracy drained a person. She was Sugar without the personality.

"You have to admit you were glad when she left." Lucy gave me a sideways glance.

I took a deep breath. "Yes but let's be fair. She was happy to see us."

"So we should be punished?!" Marcy looked hurt.

I swatted her as Lucy laughed. "We can talk to people who like us!"

"Humph!"

I rolled my eyes and pulled them towards the toy store. "We're going to make a human out of you yet, Missy!"