Hopelyn

Hopelyn sat at the back of the classroom with her hoodie pulled over her head shielding her eyes from the bright florissant of Mr. Shue's history classroom. Her head ached with a hangover from a party the night before. It had been three months since they moved to Lima and it still sucked as bad as the first day they moved in.

The bell rang and everyone began gathering up their things for break.

"Hopelyn, can you wait after class I'd like to speak with you." Shue said with his usual chipper tone that made her head hurt more. She rolled her eyes and shrugged her bag back down onto the floor, taking her seat. Once the last person had cleared out her teacher approached with a paper in his hand. Shue took a seat across from her with a smile.

"How are you, Hope?" he asked earning himself a nasty glare. Sharing wasn't something she was into. "You know it's kinda funny. I knew your moms when they were your age. I see you in the back of class and I'm instantly reminded of Brittany. You look so much like her"

"Tell me something I don't know." she hissed under her breath pulling her dark hood on over her white-blonde hair.

"And then I hear you speak and I think is Santana." he laughed and shook his head, which highlighted the crows feet along his aging eyes

"Did you want something because I've done the whole 'I remember when your moms did…blank', and I'm over it." Hopelyn reached for her bag to leave.

"Hopelyn, what's the capital of France?" he asked kindly.

"Paris."

"Who was the twenty-ninth president of the united states? "

"Harding."

"What dynasty started the Great Wall?"

"The Qin. What's with all the questions?" Hopelyn asked with a sneer.

Mr. Shue set a sheet in front of her which held a large red 'F' at the top.

"I know how smart you are, so I'd like to know why you're pretending not to be." She could feel Shue's old eyes on her as she stared at the test. So she missed some answers on purpose? It was bad enough she was rumored to be the school lesbian, she didn't need to be the school nerd ether.

"You know those answers, so why did you mark them wrong on your test?" he asked with concern.

Hopelyn licked her bottom lip thinking over her reply. Why the hell did he care so much anyway?

"Hate to break it to you, but I'm not my parents. I'm not some magic genius you all want me to be. I'm just your everyday fucked up teen." Hope snatched up her bag and stormed out of the classroom.

MAX

Later that evening Max sat on his bed kicking around his feet, trying to ignore Mr. Red Patches as he nibbled on his favorite Teddy. School had not improved since his first day, as a matter of fact it had only grown worse. If it wasn't for Amanda, he wouldn't have any friends at all. Mrs. Calvin never called on him in class even when he did know an answer and Jack Davis had taken to stealing the treats from his lunch box every day.

Every once in a while they'd split up into groups to do class work and at first Max tried to speak up and share his ideas, but they were quickly shut down or laughed at by the other students. The teasing had grown so bad that the youngest Pierce had begun growing more and more quiet, refusing to speak much even while at home.

"Hey hows my baby boy doing? Are you all ready for bed?" his mami asked knocking on his door for their bedtime ritual

Max shrugged.

" What's the matter, sweetie? You've been so quiet lately. Is there something you want to talk about?" She took a seat next to him and wrapped him up in her arms the way he loved when he was sick or sad. She kissed his check and blew raspberries on his neck trying to make him laugh. A small smile slipped out, but then he pushed her face away.

"Stop" He whined. He was determined not to tell. After all, no one likes a tattle tale.

"Did your sister say something mean to you? I'll go right to her room and kick her butt if she did. Would that make it better?" she asked looking a little sad herself.

Max shook his head.

"Where's Mr. Red Patches? He always knows how to cheer you up…" Santana looked around the room trying to spot him, when Max knew perfectly well she couldn't actually see him. He glanced over at the invisible cat who was now slinking his way around the toy box.

"Mr. Red Patches isn't real." He mumbled looking away from his friend. Trying to avoid his ma's concerned look, Max crawled under his covers facing the wall.

"Hey, who told you that?" Santana cooed rolling over and crawling onto the little boy's bed with him.

"Everyone at school." Max murmured.

"Oh sweetie, don't listen to those other kids. They're just not lucky enough to have a friend like Patches. Here's a big-kid secrete from your Mami to you—if it's real to you then it's real enough." She ran her fingers through his dark hair and gave him a squeeze. "And if anyone doesn't like it, you're Ma will always be there to kick their butts."

Max rolled over and gave his Mami a big hug. While his heart still felt sad, she was the best when he really needed it.

"Okay, lets get you to sleep." Santana picked up his teddy off the floor and gave it to him, before pulling the covers up to his chin. "What song do you want to hear tonight?"

"The one you sing to mommy sometimes." Max wiggled getting comfortable.

"Okay, only because you're so adorable." She poked his nose. She cleared her throat and began his favorite lullaby.

"For you, there'll be no more crying. For you, the sun will be shining…And I love you, I love you, I love you, like never before."

Remi

So is that a maybe?

That's a 'I'll think about it'. ;)

"RJ, it's time to put your phone away and go to sleep." his mom called from the door.

Through the walls they could hear Max's bedtime song. The effect it had on his mom was instant. She gave a small sigh and seemed to glow with love for her wife. There had never been a shortage of love to be had in the Pierce house. Seeing his parents old, but still crazy about each other made Remi hopeful. He wanted to have at least a piece of the love they had for each other when he got married.

"Who are you texting this late anyway?" Brittany asked flipping her hair over her should her, glancing at him suspiciously.

"No one."

"Anytime it's 'no one', it's always someone. Is it a girl." Brittany teased stepping into his room trying to look at his phone.

"Mom, come on. It's just a friend—who's a girl, yes okay. Don't say anything to Mami. I think she's still mad at me for what happened in New York." Remi groaned. He had never been good at lying, especially to Brittany.

"You broke the house rules and you broke our trust. If you were more open about things with us, maybe she wouldn't be so harsh on you about dating." Brittany suggested pulling back his covers.

"I know you and Mami have been together since forever, but dating is like a normal kid thing to do. Everyone dates. It's not the horny grope fest she makes it out to be. We go to dinner, maybe a movie, sometimes we kiss, but that's it!" Remi said trying to down play the worries he knew raced through every parents head.

Brittany shook her head and laughed.

"Baby, if anyone knows what high school dating is like it's your mami and I. Yes, we were pretty much soul mates since kindergarten, but your Mami wasn't willing to accept that until she was much older. We've both had our fair share of "innocent high school boyfriends" and they weren't that innocent. We weren't as careful as we should have been and we're very lucky that nothing bad happened to ether of us. We want to make sure the same goes for you." Brittany stepped across the messy room and kissed her son's forehead.

"Gross." Remi said making a face. Thinking about his parents doing some of the things he had done made him squirm.

"I'll tell you what, clean this room tomorrow and I'll talk to Santana about giving you some leg room, on the condition that we get to meet this girl,who has you up all night texting. Deal?"

"I guess." Remi shrugged.

"Sleep tight, love." She flipped the light off and shut the door.

My mom says she might let me date again if she can meet you.

I don't know, Remi. My parents don't want me around them.

I'll agree to meet your parents if you meet mine.

Hopelyn

Hope held the blankets tight over her body as Brittany stuck her head in.

"Good night Hope." She said sweetly.

"Night." Hope grunted back, hoping her mom would walk away without approaching for a goodnight kiss as she sometimes did.

"Oh, one thing. We're having Will Shuester over on Wednesday for dinner. He said your wonderful in class. I just wanted to say I'm proud of you for making a real effort here in Lima. Your Ma and I have both noticed. Keep it up and we'll talk about giving your phone back."

"That's cool, but I'm really tiered and I want to sleep, so could you close the door."

Brittany gave a small sigh and closed the door. Hope shut her eyes and listened carefully for the sounds of her mothers locking up the house and shutting the lights off. Finally the soft sound of their bedroom door clicking closed rang in her ears. She waited an extra ten minutes before pulling back the covers fully dressed.

She glanced out her bedroom window, just barely able to make out the tail lights of her ride, waiting for her. Carefully she fixed her pillows so it looked as though she were still sleeping soundlessly in her bed, before very quietly opening her bedroom door and then shutting it again.

She slipped down the stairs and into the kitchen. Just as she reached for the back door to the garage and laundry room when the lights flicked on.

"Where are you going?"

"Jesus fucking Christ, Remi! Don't do that!" She hissed at her brother. "None of your business. Why are you up?"

"I wanted a glass of water. You're not sneaking out again are you? This is like the third night in a row." Remi asked apprehensively.

"Why do you care? It's not like you haven't done it plenty of times to go hook up with people." Hope snapped. Outside there was a honking sound.

"Sounds like a real winner out there. Please tell me you're not going to that puck-head, Greene's party tonight." Remi rolled his eyes.

Hope scoffed. As usual her brother was trying to butt in and boss her around like he knew everything. He had no idea what it was like being a loser. He was Mr. Perfect, who never messed up, always go good grades, and was almost never in trouble for anything.

" What, not cool enough for you? Not everyone can be a football player or a cheerleader, Rj and incase you haven't noticed I'm defiantly not popular enough to be ether of those. That doesn't mean I don't deserve to go out and have a little fun too. I've got to go. Don't wait up for me and don't wake them" she nodded upstairs "or else I'll tell them you're trying to bang Jessica Davis for the last month." Hope glared. With a quick tern of the knob she slipped out the back door.

Remi

Remi paced around the kitchen for twenty minutes trying to decide wether or not he should go back to sleep. This wasn't the first time Hopelyn had snuck out and she had come back home safe and sound before anyone knew the difference, however that didn't mean he felt right letting her go.

"Fuck it" He muttered under his breath quickly making his way upstairs to throw on a pair of jeans and a t-shirt. There was no way he was letting his baby sister go to some puck-head's party without supervision. She hardly knew these guys or what they wanted, Rj on the other hand had a pretty good idea.

Grabbing Brittany's keys off the hook he too slipped out the back door and hopped into his mom's car. It took only a few texts to the right people to figure out where the party was being held.

Forty minutes later, he pulled up to the packed driveway on the outer edge of town where kids sat outside drinking and laughing. He waved 'hi' to a few faces he knew and ignored a handful of dirty looks from others.

"Well look who decided to grace us with his presence. If it isn't Remi Pierce, prince of McKinley. I think you're a little lost son." Snickered the captain of McKinley's hockey team Ralph Greene.

"Shut the fuck up, Greene. I'm looking for my sister." Remi growled. Greene might have had some muscle, but he was still a full foot shorter the Remi. "Oh right, the dyke. I saw her head upstairs. I'd check all the locked doors first if I were you." He laughed taking a sip of his drink. Others around him snickered.

Remi grit his teeth and shoulder checked the jock as he stormed by toward the stairs. He quickly made his way through all the rooms but there was no sign of Hope anywhere.

"Hey, have you guys seen my sister? She's about this tall and blonde, lots of dark make up."

"Naw man" said a few stoners who were lighting up in the bathroom.

Remi jogged back down the stairs as he started to panic. He should have never let her walk out the door. He ran his fingers through his black hair feeling more stressed.

"Have you guys seen my sister, Hope?" He asked a few girls sitting on the couch.

"Uh, I last saw her taking shots in the kitchen. Maybe try the back yard?"

Remi jogged through the rest of the house, not bothering to listen to anyone who was calling rude things to him. They'd regret it tomorrow at school anyway. He pulled open the screen door to the back yard and found Hopelyn sitting in a lawn chair with her head hung in her hands.

"HOPE!" Remi rushed over to her side. She looked pale, but okay. "Hope, are you okay."

"R—what are you doing here—I dun feel ver—good." She slurred looking up at him through blurry eyes. Her clothes reeked of pot.

"Are you crossfaded?" Remi asked pulling her up to her feet. "Where's your friend?"

"Yup. S'cool. I'm cool." She mumbled staggering to hold her own weight. "Ditched me."

"Come on we're going back home." He said guiding her toward the house and through the party.

As they reached the front door Ralph Greene reemerged from his rat hole.

"Aw look you found her. Good, now get out. This is a no-homo zone." Ralph taunted. Remi's patients were just about gone. He set Hope against the arm of a couch, where she could rest before shoving Greene hard in the chest.

"What the fuck is your problem dude. You've go something against gays, then go on and say it." He growled. He had jut about enough of this shit. He didn't care if he was out numbered. He'd beat the crap out of anyone who had something back to say about his family.

"Yea, I do actually. It sick. Your family is full of unnatural freaks and I don't want you infecting my party with your perverted—"

Remi didn't wait for him to finish. Instead he lunged, grabbing him by the shirt and tossed him against the wall.

"Fucking say it again. I dare you. Give me a reason to beat the crap out of you. You've got a problem with me and my family, fine, but keep it to yourself. " He slammed the hockey player against the door again. "This is your only fucking warning. Stay away from my sister and keep your hillbilly bullshit to yourself."

Remi let go of Ralph and watched him slink away. Still revved up he grabbed is his sister, who was having trouble focusing and dragged her back toward the car.

"You didn't have to do that" She said as her eyes lulled."Could have handled—- now they'll hate me more."

"That was a really stupid thing to do Hope. What were you thinking." He barked helping her into their mom's car

"What'd you care" She slurred licking her lips. "I don't feel good."

"I'm your big brother! Of course I care." He scolded "Don't ever go running off to a party like that again…or at least bring me along, so I can keep an eye on you. It's dangerous. We're not in New York anymore. "

"Everyone thinks I'm—-lesbian." She whispered sadly. "No one even wants to talk. It wasn't so bad in New York. Girls were just mean, but here they're mean and ignorant bigots. I wish we were home."

Remi gripped the steering wheel and took a deep calming breath.

"I know. I wish we were home too. I'm sorry that they're all so mean to you. I should have done something to stop it, but it's not as easy as you think being popular. I know that's not a good enough reason and I'm sorry I let you down Hope. I'm your brother and I should be doing more to help you. I promise that I'll try to get them to stop saying stuff like that about you." Remi said as he sped home. He knew he had done a horrible job sticking up for her over the last several weeks, but being popular wasn't a cake walk like he tried to make people believe.

"I like boys."

"I know you do."

"Your girlfriend is the biggest bitch of them all."

"—-Jessica is just hard to get to know. If you got to know her maybe then you guys might get along. I'll see what I can do to make it better."

"Okay.—I don't feel good." Hope repeated.

When they arrived home Remi helped Hope quietly climb the stairs to the bathroom. Squatting down he held her hair back while she puked. Every so often he'd remind her to be quite, so not to wake their moms. After an hour, he finally helped her into bed with a glass of water on her night stand. Remi then snuck back to his own room and shut the door without a sound.

A/n- This chapter was a little light on the Brittana side of things, but there will be more of them in the near future. Also don't worry Remi's life seems a little too good right now, but he'll have his own crap to deal with.

To those of you who are very sweet and have patiently waited for this chapter update, you're amazing wonderful angels who I appreciate very much. To those of you who think it's appropriate or acceptable to be rude because you have the benefit of being anonymous...bite me. Think about what you are saying before you say it. I am a really friendly person, but I will not be spoken rudely too. If you do not know how to phrase a question without sounding like a childish brat then I suggest you practice your people skills. You don't like how long it takes me to update a chapter or feel it's unfair I've updated other stories before this one? Then nicely ask me about it. I'll be more then happy to give you a kind honest answer. ultimately your posts only end up harming you because I'll just delay posting until I'm not angry about it anymore. Think before you speak. It's a kindergartener's lesson.