Merry late Christmas everyone! I hope you all had a great day yesterday! I know I did - it was so nice to go back to my hometown and be with my family. That's why it took so long to update - I was spending the holidays with my family. They live two and a half hours away from me and I don't see them much, so I didn't have much time to write. So sorry! The wait for the next update won't be so long, I promise. Enjoy and review if I should keep going!

Chapter 8: Progress

As Finn arrived home, he couldn't wait to tell his wife, brother and roommates the news. He'd shown Ariana that he wasn't going to put up with her behavior anymore and that he was the one who was making the calls in glee club.

As Finn went inside, Blaine was playing on xbox, Santana was on her iPhone and Kurt and Rachel were reading a magazine. "Guess what!" Finn announced.

"You won the lottery," Santana said.

"No!" Finn said proudly. "Ariana's out of the glee club."

Rachel, Kurt, Blaine and Santana looked at Finn. "So you just kicked her out?" Rachel asked.

"She's just been so difficult lately, and she's been rude to me, and to Caitlin, and uncooperative," Finn said. "I'd just had enough and I couldn't take it anymore." He got out his phone. "That reminds me, I should text Artie and tell him that our directing job just got easier!"

"Wow, Frankenteen," Santana said. "You really do have balls."

"I can attest to that," Rachel giggled.

Finn gave Rachel a playful look. "Well, I feel great."

"You should," Blaine said. "That girl was a nightmare."

"All the kids we're mentoring were complaining about her," Kurt added.

"Well, she's not good," Finn said. "I have nothing against kids who aren't the most naturally talented being in the glee club. When I first started glee club, I'd never sang before..."

"Yeah, but you have the best voice ever," Rachel said.

Finn smiled. "Thanks, Rach. The point is, I am willing to work with her to improve her voice, but she's in complete denial that there's a problem. She thinks that she's the best ever and that she should be playing Maria. And the way she talks to the other kids isn't okay."

"Well, good for you, Finn," Kurt said.

"Yeah, I feel pretty good," Finn said.

"How are you feeling?" Blaine asked Rachel.

Finn looked at Rachel. She hadn't mentioned not feeling well. "Are you okay?"

"Yeah, I'm fine," Rachel said. "For some reason I threw up this morning, but I'm feeling fine. Maybe I ate something weird yesterday or something."

Finn felt himself getting worried about Rachel. "What?"

"Finn, it's like I told you, I'm fine," Rachel said. "I must have eaten something weird. I'm fine."

"Okay," Finn said. "Just tell me if there's anything you need."

Rachel gave Finn a kiss. "I will. So, I talked to Kylie today."

"Oh, how are New Directions?" Blaine asked.

"Well, April and Holly are kind of lazy," Rachel said. "Ryder and Marley have been the ones who are really leading the glee club. April and Holly - they just don't know what they're doing."

"Oh dear," Finn said. "I wish we could help."

"Me too," Rachel said. "Maybe on a long weekend we could go visit and see what we could do."

"They need someone like Finn," Santana said. "Seriously Finn, I wish I'd been there. I could have given her a taste of Lima Heights Adjacent."

x

Finn arrived at the school a little early before the next glee rehearsal. Artie would be getting there soon as well, but Finn had to pick up some paperwork in the school office. When Finn stopped into the office, the principal came over to him. "Hi Finn."

"Hi," Finn said. He was glad the principal knew who he was.

"Can I talk to you in my office for a moment?" the principal asked.

Finn gulped. Why would the principal want to talk to him? Was he in trouble?

"Okay," Finn said, following the principal inside.

"Mr. Hudson, it's my understanding that you kicked a student out of the glee club?" the principal asked.

Finn sighed. There was no point in pretending it wasn't true. "Yes, I did."

The principal looked at Finn. "Mr. Hudson, we do not kick students out of extracurricular activities at this school. I don't know what things were like at your high school, but here, everyone is welcome in every activity."

That was nice in theory, but some activities would be better off without certain students. "I'm sorry, but she had a horrible attitude and she was bringing down the group. I felt like I didn't have any other options."

"Finn, did you ever try to work with her?"

"I tried being patient. I tried explaining to her she wasn't quite ready for the big solos but she didn't listen to me," Finn explained. "She kept insulting me and being rude and acting out."

The principal looked interested. "Well, if this continues, you can consider giving her a warning, and we'll see if this continues. In the meantime, you have to try to work with her."

Finn had spent the last few weeks trying to work with her. This wasn't a class. It was an extracurricular. It's not like she had to be there. But he had to respect the school rules. "Okay."

"We are sorry she's been difficult, Mr. Hudson," the principal continued. "But we want all these kids to have the best high school experience they possibly can, and if they get kicked out of activities, they won't have that."

"I understand," Finn said. He didn't like this, but he did understand.

"Thank you, Mr. Hudson," the principal said. "Let's call her down here."

Finn sighed. "Okay."

The principal called Ariana's teacher, and a few minutes later, she was in the office. Ariana glared at Finn when she came in, and the principal looked at Ariana. "Finn has something he'd like to say to you."

Finn faked a smile. He didn't want to do this. But he wanted to keep his job, and if it was the school policy, it was the school policy. "I just wanted to say that it was wrong of me to kick you out of the glee club, and would like to invite you to rejoin. I was out of line, and I'm sorry."

"You're only letting me back in because I told the principal, right?" Ariana asked.

"Finn wasn't aware of our school policy about not kicking students out of extracurricular activities," the principal said. "This is only his first year on faculty."

Ariana made a face. "Whatever."

Finn groaned. Did she want him to kick her out again? No, he couldn't.

"The point is," the principal continued, "Finn didn't know that we can't kick students out of activities."

"And I'm sorry," Finn said. He was sorry - sorry for the other kids in the group.

"Okay," Ariana said, getting up and leaving Finn with the principal.

"We have heard that she acts out in her classes, too," the principal told Finn when they were alone. "I don't know what the story is. Her parents think she's special and perfect, so they've probably passed that mindset on to her."

Finn nodded. "I understand. Thank you."

"Just come here if you need me, okay?" the principal asked.

"Okay," Finn sighed. He picked up the papers and went to the choir room, where Artie was waiting. "Bad news."

"What?" Artie asked.

"We have to let her back in," Finn sighed.

"What?" Artie gasped.

"Yeah," Finn said. "The school's making me."

"Oh no," Artie groaned.

"I don't want to let her back in either," Finn said. "But if the school's going to make us, that's the school policy."

"Yeah," Artie said. "I just wonder what the other kids will think."

"I don't think they'll be happy," Finn said. "I just have to follow the rules, Artie." Being an adult was about doing things you didn't want to do. And this was one of those things.

"How are you going to tell the kids?" Artie asked.

Finn sighed. "I'll just have to tell them."

As the students started to arrive, Finn saw Ariana come in and other kids exchanging looks, wondering why she was there. Once everyone was there, Finn spoke. "At our last practice, I made a mistake. I was unaware that it is against school policy to kick students out of extracurricular activities, and I wanted to apologize for doing that." He felt slightly embarrassed to have made a mistake in front of his students, but this could be a learning experience. "Okay, let's get started."

x

As rehearsal ended for the day, Rupert and Sidney came up to Rachel. "Rachel, you said you wanted to try out for Fanny?" Sidney asked.

Rachel looked at them. "Yes."

"Well, can you have something prepared after rehearsal tomorrow?" Rupert asked.

Tomorrow? The director and the producer wanted her to have something prepared in 24 hours? This was crazy! "Well..."

"We aren't opening it up to the public just yet," Rupert said. "But we'll give you an opportunity to try out."

Rachel had spent weeks contemplating what to do for her original audition. How was she supposed to have something ready so soon?

Then it came to her. Did they have her do this so soon so that she'd mess up and they would have an excuse not to give her the part?

"If you don't try out tomorrow, you can go to the general tryouts," Sidney said. "But if you do this, we will give you preferential consideration."

Rachel sighed. "Okay, I'll have something ready tomorrow." She had to get to the diner anyway. Luckily for Rachel, Kurt and Santana were both at the diner when she arrived, so she could talk to them.

"How were the crazy directors today?" Santana asked as Rachel arrived.

Rachel sighed. "They want me to try out for Fanny TOMORROW."

"Tomorrow?" Kurt asked. "Are they nuts?"

"Yeah!" Rachel said. "I'm working tonight, I have classes during the day... so they think I can just throw something together? It feels like they're just doing this because they know this isn't adequate time to prepare and they know I won't do well."

"That's insane," Kurt said. "Those producers and directors are insane."

"I don't know why they still have jobs," Rachel said. "The way they treat me - it's so unprofessional..."

"Maybe you should try to take them down," Santana suggested.

"I've wanted this part my whole life," Rachel admitted. "I just... I wish these weren't the people who were involved with it."

x

"They made me take her back," Finn complained to Rachel as they sat in their bedroom that night."

"I'm sorry," Rachel said, kissing Finn. "How did things go today?"

"Well, today she wasn't as big a pain," Finn said. "But maybe that's because she got the principal involved."

"That's something, right?" Rachel asked.

Finn shrugged. "I guess, so how was your day?"

Rachel sighed. "Not so good. They want me to try out for Fanny Brice TOMORROW."

"Tomorrow?" Finn asked.

"Yeah," Rachel said. "I don't even know why they're doing this."

"Maybe they want to see how you do under pressure," Finn suggested.

"I have a feeling it's because they'll hope I crack," Rachel said. "They don't like me, Finn, and I know it. Just because of the whole tour thing."

"Well, you're going to have to find the perfect song to sing tomorrow, then," Finn said. "Something that will give them no other choice but to give you the part."

"What do you think I should do?" Rachel asked.

"I don't know," Finn said. "Maybe do something that you've never done before so the performance will be authentic."

There were plenty of songs that Rachel had never done before. But what would she do? "I'll need to look around for one."

"Try to find something Rachel Hudson," Finn said. "Something that's you."

Well, maybe there was a possibilty. "I did take a songwriting class my first year..."

"Then find those songs and do one of them," Finn said. "You did do Get It Right for them once and that worked out."

"Yeah, I guess," Rachel admitted. She began going through her desk and then found the notebook from the songwriting class. Finn looked over Rachel's shoulder as they began to read over the songs. Eventually Finn pointed at one page. "You should do that one."

Rachel looked at the page. This was a song she'd written to try to make herself feel better when she felt bad about missing home. "This one?"

"Yeah," Finn said. "I just... I can see you doing so well with it."

"I never even submitted that one to the class," Rachel admitted.

"That makes it even better," Finn said. "This'll be the first time anyone's heard it."

"You think?" Rachel asked.

"I know," Finn said.

"Okay," Rachel said. "I'll let you know how things go tomorrow."

"And I look forward to hearing," Finn said.

x

Rachel still wasn't sure if this song was the best choice for her re-audition.

It was like she told Finn, she'd never even submitted this song to the songwriting class. It was in her notebook, sure, but she was a bit sensitive about it. It was about a tough time in her life, and she was worried that the professors and the other students would know that.

But the director and producer wouldn't know that. And Finn always seemed to know the right songs for Rachel to sing. So this would be worth a try.

At the end of rehearsal, Rupert and Sidney came up to Rachel. "Are you ready for your audition?" Sidney asked.

Rachel sighed. "Yes, I'm ready."

"Well, give the music to the piano player and we can get started," Rupert said.

Rachel was going to cooperate. Even if she didn't get the part, at least they were giving her another chance. She handed the sheet music to the piano player and turned to the producer and director. "This is a song I wrote during a songwriting class at NYADA," she said as the music began.

Break down, break down, break down
I was scared to death I was losing my mind
Break down
I couldn't close my eyes I was pacing all night, oh, no,
I think I found the light at the end of the tunnel (and my doubts)
I couldn't find the truth I was going under
But I won't hide inside
I gotta get out, gotta get out, gotta get out, gotta get out
Lonely inside and light the fuse
Light it now, light it now, light it now
And now I will start living today, today, today
I close the door
I got this new beginning and I will fly
I'll fly like a cannonball, like a cannonball, like a cannonball
I'll fly, I'll fly, I'll fly like a cannonball
Freedom
I let go of fear and the peace came quickly
Freedom
I was in the dark and then it hit me
I chose suffering and pain in the falling rain
I know, I gotta get out into the world again
But I won't hide inside
I gotta get out, gotta get out, gotta get out, gotta get out
Lonely inside and light the fuse
Light it now, light it now, light it now
And now I will start living today, today, today
I close the door
I got this new beginning and I will fly
I'll fly like a cannonball, like a cannonball, like a cannonball
I'll fly, I'll fly, I'll fly like a cannonball
Break down
I was scared to death I was losing my mind
Break down
I gotta get out into the world again
And now I will start living today, today, today
I close the door
I got this new beginning and I will fly
I'll fly like a cannonball, like a cannonball, like a cannonball
I'll fly, I'll fly, I'll fly like a cannonball, like a cannonball, like a cannonball
I'll fly, I'll fly, I'll fly like a cannonball

At the end of the song, Rachel noticed that Rupert and Sidney were looking impressed. They hadn't been giving her looks like that in a while. Maybe they weren't even meaning to look at her like that. What she did know was that they looked impressed with what she'd just done.

"Thank you, Rachel," Rupert said. "We'll let you know."

"Thank you," Rachel said.

x

"I hope Rachel's okay," Finn said as he sat in the two bedroom apartment, watching a football game with Blaine, Sam and Artie.

"Hey, I'm sure she's fine," Sam said. "You don't need to worry so much."
"Wouldn't you be worried if Mercedes had a big tryout?" Finn asked Sam.

"Well... yes," Sam admitted.

"Gotcha!" Finn teased.

"Finn, if anything was going wrong, Rachel would have contacted you," Blaine pointed out. "I know. I'm married to her twinsie."

"Yeah," Finn said when he heard a knock on the door. He turned to Sam and Artie. "One of you should answer that. Blaine and I do officially live down the hall."

"Please," Artie said. "All nine of us live in both apartments. The only difference is who sleeps where."

"Yeah, but outsiders don't know that," Blaine pointed out.

"Point," Sam said. "I'll go get it." He went to the door and smiled at the other guys when he opened it. "Look who's here!"

Finn looked up and saw Ryder, Marley, Jake, Kitty, and Kylie. "Oh my God! What are you guys doing here!"

"The four of us came to New York for the long weekend to visit colleges," Jake said.

"Well, I came to see Artie, too," Kitty said, running on to her boyfriend's lap.

"Yeah, and I figured I'd come with them, to see Rachel, Shelby and Beth," Kylie added.

"Well, we're all happy to see you guys," Blaine said.

"We're glad to be here," Kitty said, snuggling with Artie.

"So, where are Kurt and the girls?" Marley asked.

"Rachel's at rehearsal, Santana's at Dani's, Kurt's hanging out with Elliott and Mercedes and Tina are both at work," Blaine said. "I'm sure they'll be so excited you guys are here though."

"Do you know how Rachel's audition today went?" Kylie asked Finn.

"I don't," Finn said. "Hopefully it went okay."

"Speaking of Broadway people, how's it going with Harmony in your apartment?" Ryder asked.

"Oh, that," Blaine said. "She's... Harmony. She's loud, she makes demands..."

"Yeah, that sounds like Harmony," Kitty said. "I bet she'll try out for Fanny Brice, too."

Why hadn't Finn thought of that? Harmony probably would try out for Fanny as well... and he knew Harmony was someone who intimidated Rachel... He tried to take his mind off things. "So, how are things at McKinley, other than what Kylie's been telling Rachel?"

"We're all doing our best to keep the glee club in top form," Marley said. "It would just be so much better if Mr. Schue was still there."

"At least we have the four of you still," Kylie said. "I don't know what we'd do without you guys..."

"Well, you and Jack are going to be great captains next year," Ryder told Kylie.

Finn heard a knock on the door and went to answer it. He saw Rachel. "Hey babe. How was your audition?"

Rachel smiled. "I think it went okay."

"Okay?" Finn asked.

"Yeah," Rachel said. "They actually looked like they enjoyed it... oh my God!" She ran to hug her sister. "I had no idea you guys were coming!"

"Oh, it was a spur of the moment type thing," Kitty said. "We figured since it's a long weekend and we have someplace to stay, we'd come visit colleges in New York this weekend, and Kylie thought she'd come with us to see you and your mom and other sister."

"Well, I'm so glad you guys are here!" Rachel said. "Are all four of you looking at schools in New York?"

"Well, not just in New York," Jake said. "But there are definitely schools here."

"Speak for yourself," Kitty said. "I'm coming to New York for college for sure."

Marley looked from Blaine to Rachel. "Do you think I have a shot at NYADA?"

"Definitely," Blaine said. "Rachel and Kurt and I will vouch for you."

"I'd really love it if you guys came here," Finn said. "It'll be so amazing, having our New York family keep growing."

Chapter 9 preview: It's Halloween in New York and the New Yorkers get to celebrate it for the first time since moving there! Big news for a couple as well...

SONG: Cannonball by Lea Michele (original song by Rachel Berry for the context of this chapter)

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