A/N: Thank you so much for all the reviews. Just a couple of things I want to address - a few people were happy that Quinn is finally gone. She and Puck are over, but that isn't the last time she'll be in the story. She really wants to repair her friendships with Brittany, Santana, Mike and Matt, so she'll be around. I also had a couple of people asking where Rachel went... you'll find out in the next chapter.
To HannahRose00 - I'm a hardcore Brittana shipper too! The request for this story didn't include a Brittana romantic pairing, but I couldn't write a story without a heap of Brittana stuff in there anyway!
To Bonesluver - yes, I did watch the Born This Way episode! I'm still torn over what I thought of it though. I liked that Rachel finally confronted her insecurities; liked that Kurt has returned; liked the Santana and Brittana moments; loved the shirts... I'm just a little unsure over what I thought about Quinn's backstory...
Anyways, here's chapter 6.
The attachments are all clearly labelled and he starts at the beginning, choosing to save the police report for last. Some are from the local newspaper, others from the school newsletter and some are from a blog written by a guy called Jacob Ben Israel but all of them feature Rachel in some way.
Gay couple uses surrogate mother to give them a child (Ohio Daily, written by Jackson Smith)
Hiram Berry and long-time partner Benjamin Berry have entered into a beneficial agreement with an old friend. Turned down by several adoption agencies due to their sexual orientation, Hiram and Benjamin Berry have decided to enlist a surrogate mother to help them.
Offering their long-time friend a financial agreement if she becomes a surrogate mother for them, the Berry family are participating in something that is unheard of in Lima, Ohio.
"We love each other. It's as simple as that. We've taken marriage vows and sworn to love each other for the rest of our lives. We want to raise a family together and if this is the only way we can do it, then so be it", Hiram Berry tells us exclusively.
Six year old the star in local dance recital (Lima Insider, written by Sally Williams)
Rachel Berry, daughter of Hiram and Benjamin Berry, has become the star in the latest dance recital. Although only six years old, Rachel outshined everyone else in the recital, her movements precise, well-practiced and overflowing with emotion.
Although Rachel is only young, she's taking four different dance classes, and accepted the applause from the audience as though it was her right.
Her teacher considers her a natural who makes the routines seem as easy as breathing, and told us to keep our eyes on Rachel because she would go far.
Rachel Berry wins local talent contest (Lima Insider, written by Lucas Smith)
The talent contest attracted people of all ages, with the whole town coming to show their support. The talents were varied, with over twelve different talents showcased, including comedy routines, mimes, dancing exhibits and singing displays.
Although the competition was tough, the judges said they found it easy to place first place. Twenty year old Luke Smith won third place with his hilarious comedy routine, with Jasmine Stimson taking in second place with her graceful dance routine, but it was young Rachel Berry who took out first place.
Singing one of her own compositions that she and her music teacher wrote together, she reduced numerous members of the audience to tears and she sung her heart out. It was the combination of heart-felt words, a beautiful voice and a miraculous talent at the talent that won the audiences heart and the first place ribbon.
Annie production a roaring success (Lima Insider, written by Sally Williams)
The primary school production of Annie has become a major hit, with family and friends buying tickets to see the show a second time because it took their breath away. Many were expecting an average performance, with forgotten lines, missed cues and singing that hurt their ears, but they were wrong.
Annie, played by Rachel Berry, erased all those worries. Featuring temporarily dyed hair, she sung her heart out and led the cast through the scenes with a smile on her face. Her performance was flawless and hid the other mistakes in the show, including the other children who forgot their lines and the lyrics to the song.
The drama teacher presented her with a bouquet of flowers on the final night, thanking her for all of her help, because as it turns out, Rachel didn't just steal the show, she helped create it. She helped with all the sets, the musical composition and spent hours learning how to operate the sound and lighting machinery so she could see what would be most effective in which scene.
One thing is for sure – this production won't be forgotten quickly.
Talent scout gives local girl free dance lessons at popular studio (Lima Insider, written by Lucas Smith)
A talent scout from a popular inner-city studio has been blown away by the talent showcased at the latest dance recital, and ended up offering two students a free scholarship to his studio.
Rachel Berry and Jasmine Stimson were both offered scholarships to the studio for the year, after their contemporary routine impressed the scout.
Both girls have been dancing at the local studio for years, with Rachel being the star of many recitals, and Jasmine placing second place at the talent quest with her ballet routine.
We wish both girls luck at their new studio.
Young girl wins lead role in theatre production (Lima Insider, written by Jesse Jackson)
An inner-city production of Romeo and Juliet has shined a light on Lima, with local star Rachel Berry being cast in the role of Juliet.
The theatre group has received rave reviews for their last three productions, and it seems like their newest endeavour will be a success.
Local newspaper critics have already sat in on several rehearsals and all of them agree that Rachel Berry is the breakout star. The play has only been in rehearsal for three weeks but they already say that Rachel has completely embraced her role.
Glee club under new leadership (an extract from GOLD STAR, by Jacob Ben Israel)
McKinley High's music department has been revitalised, with Spanish teacher William Schuster taking over the Glee club.
While initially an important part of the extracurricular calendar, Glee club has been losing popularity when the leadership changed rapidly. It seems that it has found a new face, with William Schuster investing his time and money into the club in the hopes that it will regain the popularity it had during his time at McKinley.
Christened New Directions, the club already boasts an impressive range of students, including a handful of new members that seem intent on raising the standard of the club. Quarterback Finn Hudson and local theatre and dance star Rachel Berry have been announced co-captains of the club, with Kurt Hummel, Tina Cohen-Chang and Artie Abrams rounding out the new additions to the club.
With the new voices, Finn Hudson's social standing and Rachel Berry's dedication, it looks like a change has entered McKinley.
New Directions heading for success (McKinley Newsletter)
McKinley was recently blown away by New Directions invitational concert in the school auditorium. Tickets sold quickly, with rival schools, friends, students and family all buying tickets to the show. The auditorium hasn't been this packed since the last mandatory assembly.
The lights dimmed and the audience fell silent until two spotlights rose at the back of the auditorium. Co-captains Rachel Berry and quarterback Finn Hudson entered from the back, as the rest of the club stood on the stage and sung back-up.
A rousing version of Don't Stop Believing (with lead vocals from Rachel Berry, Finn Hudson and Artie Abrams) was followed by Tina Cohen-Chang singing Tonight. The final performance was Defying Gravity; a duet performed by Rachel Berry and Kurt Hummel, which received a standing ovation.
The night was a huge success and it looks like New Directions is indeed heading in a new direction – success.
Glee club takes Sectionals by storm (extract from GOLD STAR by Jacob Ben Israel)
In their first major competition, New Directions has stood up to fierce competition and refused to back down until they were given what they believed they deserved – the first place position.
It's been a tough journey for New Directions. After starring in a mattress commercial and receiving mattresses as a payment, they were deemed unfit to participate in the competition, as they had participated in paid advertising, which is seen as an unfair advantage.
Director William Schuster took the rap for the club, taking the blame for using the mattresses and rendering himself unable to attend the competition. The drama wasn't over yet though.
Rachel Berry and Finn Hudson had gone public with their relationship earlier in the week, even though they have been dating since they were declared co-captains. The football team disagreed with the relationship, believing that Finn Hudson was reducing the popularity of the team with his blatant disregard for the social structure at McKinley.
Spiralling out of control after his dismissal from the football team, it looked like Finn Hudson wasn't going to show up at the competition, but that wasn't the worst of it. The clubs set list had been stolen by the competing teams, meaning that they had to devise a new set list merely an hour before the competition.
With the late arrival of Finn Hudson (bearing a song he wanted them to sing), their luck changed. They took to the stage and sung their hearts out, only stopping when they won.
Loss at Regionals sends New Direction's popularity downhill (extract from GOLD STAR by Jacob Ben Israel)
It seemed like New Directions were a shoo in at Regionals. Principal Figgins had promised them funding for a second year if they secured a place at the competition, and the club was more determined than ever to win.
They held fundraisers to buy fabrics, which Kurt Hummel turned into show-stopping outfits, and even managed to raise enough money to hire a handicapped bus for team member Artie Abrams.
Audience members watched in awe as the club sung, but it just wasn't enough to compete with long-time winners Vocal Adrenaline, who 'wiped the stage' with New Directions.
The shock of the night was when the Vocal Adrenaline coach turned out to be female lead Rachel Berry's surrogate mother, causing heartbreak for the young star when she found out that her mother didn't want to pursue a relationship, instead deciding to adopt a child in New York, the city she has decided to move back to.
It seems like New Directions may be finished forever, and I for one, am more than willing to comfort Rachel Berry in her time of desperation.
Surprising win at Sectionals (McKinley Newsletter)
Granted another year due to Rachel Berry's petition, New Directions has been training harder than ever. This time, their sights are set on Nationals, meaning they have to win Sectionals, and then Regionals to be granted the opportunity of travelling to New York.
The club has elected Rachel Berry as their captain and chief choreographer, Kurt Hummel as their costume designer and co-choreographer and Artie Abrams as their treasurer. Previous co-captain Finn Hudson has stepped down in order to concentrate on his studies.
Working harder than ever, New Directions was more confident than ever to take to the stage at Sectionals, and their dedication paid off.
Winning first place, and the chance to compete at Regionals, New Directions seems back on the road to success.
New Directions win Regionals (McKinley Newsletter)
In a win no one thought possible, New Directions have secured a place in the national show choir competition, taking place in New York City later this year.
With a solid set list, and killer dance moves that put the other choirs to shame, New Directions clearly beat Oral Intensity and the Dalton Academy Warblers, who had been the firm favourites at the competition.
With a sweet duet from Tina Cohen-Chang and Artie Abrams, and a daring choice of a duet between new step-brothers Kurt Hummel and Finn Hudson, the show was completed with a heart-stopping solo by Rachel Berry. Her rendition of Don't Rain on my Parade brought tears to the eyes of the judges, and when we caught up with Rachel after the performance, she said she was glad she decided not to use the song in their first sectionals competition.
McKinley wishes them the best of luck with the lead-up to Nationals, and of course, the competition itself.
The long road to Nationals has begun (McKinley Newsletter)
They may have only just won Regionals but New Directions has already started their preparation for Nationals.
The competition will be fierce, with New Directions preparing to face unknown choirs as well as Vocal Adrenaline, the show choir that defeated them at their first Regionals competition.
Captain Rachel Berry and Kurt Hummel have already started creating their set-list, and investing their small budget into fabrics to create "dazzling costumes".
"The budget is small but Artie has managed to create an inspiring program for us to stick to and we are confident that we will be able to take Nationals by storm", says Captain Rachel Berry. "After all, none of the other teams have such a wide range of vocals and such an overwhelming display of talents. No other teams have Finn's encouraging smile, or Kurt's magical fashion intuition, or Artie's keen sense for numbers, or Tina's gift for spotting bargains".
It seems like New Directions won't rest until they've conquered New York.
McKinley fundraises to send the Glee club to New York (Lima Insider, (extract from GOLD STAR by Jacob Ben Israel)
William McKinley High School is buzzing with music as their resident Glee club holds a fundraising concert so that they can afford plane tickets to New York City.
The beautiful captain Rachel Berry has credited the idea to her best friend Tina Cohen-Chang and Tina's boyfriend Artie, two of the unsung heroes in the club.
Family members have already bought their tickets, as well as various members of the school community – mainly the band geeks and members of the other "loser" groups.
The concert programs are yet to be released, but rumour has it, the "Gleeks" aren't going to stop there. They'll be holding a car wash, as well as a bake sale, in the hopes of sending all twelve of their members, plus two chaperones, to New York.
This super fan is looking forward to seeing how Rachel Berry will blow us away this time.
Leads Rachel Berry and Finn Hudson take Nationals by storm (McKinley Newsletter)
In a shocking twist no one saw coming, not even the club itself, New Directions has claimed first place at their first Nationals competition, leaving firm favourites Vocal Adrenaline in the dust.
For a while, it seemed unlikely that New Directions would even be able to get to the competition, with their fundraising efforts almost failing before they had even taken off the ground, but it seems like perseverance really is key as the club managed to afford flights and accommodation for fourteen people without breaking a sweat.
And their luck didn't stop there, with three stellar song choices, performed to rousing applause. First off was a ballad performed by Rachel Berry and Finn Hudson, followed by a strong group performance, and rounded off with "My Heart Will Go On" by Rachel Berry and Kurt Hummel, in yet another strong duet from the pair.
The audience fell silent when the national director of the show choir institution took to the stage with a pristine white envelope that had the power to make and break each show choir.
And when New Directions were announced as the winners, the applause was deafening, especially when Captain Rachel Berry took to the stage with tears in her eyes to collect the first place trophy.
New Directions have officially made it.
Local star Rachel Berry wins a scholarship to Julliard (Lima Insider, written by Lucas Smith)
Local star Rachel Berry, captain of her high school's Glee club and resident triple threat, has just received a scholarship to the famous New York art school Julliard.
It's the first time in over thirty years that a student has been accepted into Julliard on a full scholarship, and Principal Figgins is using that to his advantage, citing Rachel as a reason to invest more in the arts department so more people can receive enriching opportunities.
It is believed that Rachel will be accepting the scholarship and moving to the city after graduation, along with her long-time boyfriend Finn Hudson, former quarterback at McKinley High.
There's no word on what the other members of the Glee club will be doing, but according to Jacob Ben Israel, inside source, there will be no separating this firm group of friends.
We at Lima Insider which Rachel the best of luck with all future endeavours.
New Directions perform at graduation (McKinley Newsletter)
In a perfect send-off, New Directions have performed at the graduation ceremony, bringing a tear to a number of eyes, both students and teachers alike.
It seems only fitting that New Directions performed the send-off song, with eight of their twelve members graduating this year.
Captain of New Directions, Rachel Berry, also took to the stage to give her valedictorian speech, finishing to a thunderous applause. While the tensions between the athletic students and the artistic students have always ran high, it seems that they put aside their differences tonight.
The graduating class took to the stage one last time, clasping hands and smiling out at the audience before tossing their caps high into the air.
McKinley High wishes the graduating class all the luck in the world for their future endeavours.
Tragic accident kills teens (Lima Insider, written by Sally Williams)
Graduation celebrations have turned deadly for a group of teenagers travelling the familiar roads of Lima on the way to their graduation party.
Losing control on a wet piece of road, their car careened out of control, before smashing headfirst into a tree and tearing straight down the middle.
The police have already ruled alcohol and speed out of the investigation, releasing a statement absolving driver Finn Hudson from any blame. "This could have happened to anyone. The accident was not caused by drink driving or unruly speed, merely bad weather and a car with inadequate safety precautions".
Local high school teacher William Schuster was first on the scene, after seeing an explosion from his kitchen window. Although he was at the scene within five minutes, it was too late for most of the teens. Driver Finn Hudson and the three backseat passengers Kurt Hummel, Artie Abrams and Tina Cohen-Chang died instantly.
William Schuster managed to help pull the sole survivor away from the burning wreck of a car, but Rachel Berry's condition is critical.
Horrifying end to graduation celebrations (McKinley Newsletter)
In a shocking end to what was otherwise a happy occasion, four teens have been announced dead at the scene of a horrifying car crash.
Teens Finn Hudson, Kurt Hummel, Tina Cohen-Chang and Artie Abrams died instantly, after their car (driven by Finn Hudson) spun out of control and tore in half after hitting a tree, all on the way to their graduating party.
Tributes to the teens have already been set up at the sight of the crash, and the community is in mourning. All four teens had bright futures ahead of them, and it's clear that everyone in Lima will miss them immensely.
Finn Hudson was planning on moving to New York with his long-time girlfriend, and had received an apprenticeship in a major mechanics office. Kurt Hummel was moving to Los Angeles to do a fashion internship in a major magazine, whereas the recently engaged Tina Cohen-Chang and Artie Abrams were planning on staying in Lima due to Artie's disability.
The sole survivor of the accident – Rachel Berry, class valedictorian – has been rushed to the hospital and is reportedly in the intensive care unit. The full extent of her injuries are not yet known.
Graduation celebrations turn deadly (Ohio Daily, written by Jackson Smith)
It should have been the happiest day of their lives for the five recently graduated teens but it seems like fate has a different opinion.
The five teenagers, members of William McKinley High School's show choir, were driving the familiar ten minute route to their director William Schuster's house for their graduation party when tragedy struck.
Recent bad weather caused the car driven by Finn Hudson to spin out of control, crash into a tree and tear straight down the middle, before exploding.
The paramedic team arrived within minutes of the accident due to William Schuster's tip-off after he saw the explosion from his kitchen window, but it was too late. The car had already exploded, rendering it impossible to pull Finn Hudson and three of his passengers out of the car. It is believed that Finn and his passengers, Kurt Hummel, Tina Cohen-Chang and Artie Abrams died on impact.
The sole survivor, Rachel Berry, managed to move away from the car just in time, and the paramedics rushed her straight to hospital, where she is currently in the intensive care unit in a critical condition. No more details are available at the moment.
Horror crash destroys lives (Local News Transcript)
And welcome to Channel Seven news. Our main story tonight is breaking news from the scene of a devastating car accident.
Earlier this evening, a seemingly harmless drive to their graduation party turned deadly for a group of teenagers. Losing control of their car on a slick piece of road, their car spun out of control, hitting a tree and ripping straight down the middle.
Four of the five teenagers travelling in the car died instantly. Finn Hudson, driver of the car, his step-brother, Kurt Hummel, close friends Tina Cohen-Chang and Artie Abrams, a recently engaged couple, all lost their lives tonight.
The fifth teenager, front seat passenger Rachel Berry, apparently managed to pull herself out of the wreckage shortly before the car exploded. She was immediately rushed to hospital and her family now awaits further details.
Rachel, class valedictorian of William McKinley High School's graduating class, lost boyfriend Finn Hudson, best friend Tina Cohen-Chang, and close personal friends Kurt Hummel and Artie Abrams in the accident.
The team at Channel Seven news sends their hopes and prayers to the families in their time of need.
Town in mourning over lost teens (Lima Insider, written by Sally Williams)
The horrific accident that claimed four lives just last week has not yet sunk in. Finn Hudson, Kurt Hummel, Tina Cohen-Chang and Artie Abrams will be sorely missed if the last week is any indication.
Classmates and family members alike have been flocking to the scene of the accident and have taken it upon themselves to build tributes to the four recently departed teens.
The last week has been an intense time for the friends and family of the deceased, with all four of the funerals taking place over the last few days. Engaged couple Tina Cohen-Chang and Artie Abrams had a joint funeral, Kurt Hummel had a loving memorial service and his step-brother Finn Hudson also had a funeral, all within the last few days.
All four funerals were overflowing with well wishers, although one guest was missing from each funeral. Fellow passenger and sole survivor Rachel Berry was not in attendance at any of the funerals, due to being placed in a medically induced coma due to the severity of her injuries.
The exact extent of her injuries are not fully known, but she's scheduled to be woken up from the coma within the next two days. Carole Hummel, mother to Finn Hudson and step-mother to Kurt Hummel, has released a small bit of information at Finn's funeral stating that "we don't know if Rachel is going to make it. She has mild burns over a lot of her body and the doctors say that there is a possibility she won't walk again, but right now, she hasn't woken up yet so we don't know what's happening. Rachel is like a daughter to me and our prayers are with her and her family in this difficult time".
Berry vs. Toyota – Berry's win compensation (Lima Insider, written by Jesse Jackson)
It's been a year since the horrifying accident that claimed the lives of four local teenagers, and spared the life of girlfriend and close friend Rachel Berry.
The accident may have claimed four lives, but it left Rachel Berry with more scars than she knew was possible. Speaking out for the first time since the accident, although refusing to go into detail about the accident, Rachel is still clearly distraught about the death of her friends.
"It's still hard to believe that they're gone. I mean, they were such a huge part of my life for such a long time, and it's just so hard to believe that I'm not going to wake up with Finn's arms around me, or go shopping with Kurt, or talk about boys with Tina, or watch Artie play video games. They defined me for such a long time, and it just seems impossible that they are really gone".
The Berry family took out a lawsuit against Toyota, the company that produced the car Finn Hudson was driving that night, asking the company to pay for all of Rachel's medical bills, including the physiotherapist and the therapist that the young girl is seeing.
It was believed that the case would take years to be settled, but the multi-million dollar car company was more than happy to settle out of court. A spokesperson for the company said that "after seeing the emotional and physical scars Rachel has, we have decided that it is best for everyone involved to settle this matter and help start the family on the road to recovery".
A small payout has also been given to each of the families for the loss of their families, and Toyota's CEO says that they will look into the issue of safety in their vehicles.
Rachel Berry is currently undergoing intensive physiotherapy in an attempt to relearn how to walk after the crash rid her of the ability. She is also in and out of hospital for burn treatments, but is expected to make a full recovery, making her a medical miracle.
Puck sighs as he finishes the last article, his eyes red and itchy from the tears that have been prickling at his eyes for the last hour.
It just can't be possible for one person to survive this much... for one person to survive this much, then move away, and refuse to let people to see her for what she is... an incredibly strong survivor. If it was him, he would have just curled up in a ball and slept the rest of his life away. He would have been a victim, not a survivor, and he just can't comprehend how Rachel can wake up every morning and plaster a smile on her face.
His head pounds as he moves his mouse over to the last attachment. He knows enough already. He knows that she didn't just lose a boyfriend, but her best friend and her two other friends. He knows that she lost her entire family that night. He knows that her surviving was a miracle; knows that she broke bones and received burns; knows that she had to relearn how to walk; knows that she underwent therapy and physiotherapy and god knows what else.
He knows enough, but he can't stop himself from clicking on the last attachment. He's come this far... he can't stop searching now. He needs to know.
His eyes scan down the page, certain words and phrases jumping out at him. He doesn't read it all – his eyes are too filled with tears for that to even be possible – but he sees enough.
Finn Hudson
Driver. Instantaneous death on impact. Major internal damage. Minor lacerations. Severe burns over 70% of body. Identified by dental records – unrecognisable.
Tina Cohen-Chang
Passenger in middle of the back-seat. Killed on impact of tree on car – tree caused internal bleeding. Severe burns over 60% of body. Identified by dental records – unrecognisable.
Kurt Hummel
Passenger in back-seat. Burns over 90% of body. Died in explosion – smoke inhalation shows that he was still alive when the first flames engulfed the car. Identified by dental records – unrecognisable.
Artie Abrams
Passenger in back-seat. Thrown from the car during the collision with the tree and subsequent tearing. Died shortly after impact. Burns over 25% of the body. Identified by ID bracelet he was wearing.
Rachel Berry
Front seat passenger. Minor internal bleeding and broken bones from initial crash. Pulled herself from the car. Mild burns over arms and legs. Was climbing back towards the vehicle when it exploded. Shows sign of mental distress?
With a sigh, he closes down the attachments and shuts off his computer before stumbling back towards his room, and hopefully, a long night of sleep.
He has a long day ahead of him tomorrow – talking to Rachel and apologising to Brittany – and he's going to need as much help as he can get.
For the first time in years, he has terrible nightmares, of a girl screaming, and flames licking at flesh, and a bloody Rachel crawling out of a smashed up car.
(He has no idea how he's ever going to make it up to her).