By Very Definition Chapter 11: Family, a glee fanfic

BY VERY DEFINITION

11. Family

"Do you think anyone will come?" Kurt asked dejectedly as he, Mercedes, and Parker arrived at Breadstick's at 5:20 that night. They sat at a large table in a section that could very easily be added on to if more people showed up than expected.

"We're early, I wouldn't worry about it." Parker assured him.

"Yeah, Parker here's a celebrity now, everyone will want to hang out with her." Mercedes added, making the small girl blush. They'd just gotten menus from their waiter when Tina rolled Artie in.

"Hey!" Artie greeted everyone as Tina placed him next to Kurt, removed the chair that was in his place, and sat down next to him.

"Told you someone would come." Parker muttered. Kurt rolled his eyes at her. Next to arrive were Rachel and Finn, surprising Parker. Obviously, she and Rachel hadn't had a very good relationship thus far, but Parker didn't want her as an enemy, so she'd tried to make amends. After a while the Berry girl had loosened up, seeing Parker as less of a threat and accepting her into the group with minimal resentment. As for Finn, he had never really said anything to Parker, and she hadn't really talked to him either, so they were both at fault for that one. But they sat down on her side of the table and joined in the conversation. Mike Chang and Matt came in after them, then Brittany and Santana showed up. Lastly Quinn and Puck walked through the door and joined to overflowing table happily. Parker was in shock, every last one of them came. And all of them were having a really good time. They were all laughing and asking Parker and Mercedes to tell "the story" again. Brittany and Santana taught everyone a hand cheer, Mike exaggerated it greatly to make everyone laugh. Rachel was able to comment on everyone's conversation by drawing from her past experience in showbiz.

"These glasses are fancy." Parker commented, looking at the glass goblets they were served water in.

"Hey, this is an upscale place." Mike Chang laughed. Kurt banged his fork against his glass, demanding everyone's attention.

"I think our guest of honor should say a few words." He suggested with a smile.

"What, like a toast?" Parker asked incredulously. Her friend nodded and Parker looked around to see everyone watching her expectantly. "Hey, if I have to give a speech, so does everyone else." She warned.

"Of course they will." Quinn said, standing and raising her glass, "I'll go first." The attention turned to Quinn, who was at the far end of the table seeing as she was one of the last to arrive. "Parker," She said, "You're so shy, you're so careful. When you first came to Glee club I'll admit that I didn't give you a second look. You looked plain and boring. And then I thought you might be rude, but something made me want to keep you around. I just felt like I couldn't not spend time with you. And I'm really glad I did because you're such a wonderful person. You always have advice and rationality, your foster-family is really nice, and I'd like to thank them too as I say thanks for not judging me." She held her glass higher in a toast, "Parker, you're the person I'll always turn to." And she drank.

"Hear, hear!" Everyone called as they followed suit. In a roundabout Puck stood up next. He held his glass awkwardly and couldn't look completely at ease or happy to be there, but he looked sincere.

"So, Parker." He said, "You're short. Sorry, I had to get something spiteful out first before everyone thinks I've lost my edge." Parker smiled appreciatively and he continued, "I'd like to thank you for the advice you gave me about Quinn and the kid. I always complain about how singing doesn't help, but you were right, it does." He raised his glass, "I'll never doubt you again." Next up was Mike.

"I'll help you with your dancing if you help me with those hockey kids." He offered, Parker nodded and he added, "Long live the Queen! She is the guts of the group."

"You're a great piano player, and a good singer." Matt said, "I'm glad that you're part of the group."

"I'm sorry about the way I treated you when you first got here." Rachel apologized when it was her turn, "I shouldn't have judged you like that and I should have seen that you're more useful as a friend than an enemy."

"We haven't too many chances to talk, but I look forward to getting to know you better over Glee club." Finn raised his glass.

"I'll admit you have talent, and you're good at amusing everyone." Santana said, "And also...you're pretty likeable." It was as close as she could bring herself to giving the girl a compliment.

"I'm happy to know you." Brittany said, "Because if you weren't here I might have been slushied and my hair would turn blue. Can you imagine me with blue hair? Because my doctor said that blue stains you forever." She sat down to mild applause and plenty of strange looks.

"You're a secret badass, and you're totally the best at it." Tina complimented.

"Forgive me for not standing," Artie took his turn, "But I get the feeling that there will be a lot more stories about you. You're already a Mckinley High legend, and I don't think it's going to stop there. May all the Parker Evans legends be true."

"I cannot even begin to describe how glad I am that Mr. Schuester put you in our charge." Kurt said, "It was great to pull on Rachel's chain, to redecorate your room, to duel pianos. Basically everything is about three times more fun when you're around. You're one of the first people I think of when I think about going shopping or somewhere. It's not even a conscious thought it's just assumed that you have to be there, no one adds you to the picture because you're already there. There is no picture without you, and it's actually a good thing. You're kind of like the sister I never had."

"Hear, hear!" Quinn agreed loudly.

"So I hope you stick around." He took a sip. Finally, Mercedes stood up.

"I agree with everything everyone else said. You're awesome, your foster-family is nice, you're everyone's favorite sister. You're actually a pretty important part of the Glee family. And to think, no one like you when you first showed up. But that's a new kid thing. But you are just about the fliest white girl I've met, you're the new group protector. And I'm sure every guy here is really enthusiastic to have their younger sister protect them from the big bad bullies." The guys grinned sheepishly, "But I'm sure they'll get over it because maybe you've ended the slushy reign at this High School. So, Parker, it's good to have you with us." It was Parker's turn to speak. She stood up, but didn't know what to say.

"I don't know where to start." Parker said, "You aren't supposed to be this nice to me. But I really appreciate it. And I like being a part of Glee club, I like being with you. I've decided that I want to be in Glee club, and I never know what I want. I'm glad that you all came, I seriously didn't think you would. And you're right, it is kind of like a family. Everyone here can be friends and drive each other crazy but we still put up with each other." Not knowing how to end, she sat down awkwardly. It was Mercedes who started singing, she took the lead and everyone joined in, dancing and pounding on the table.

"We are family
I got all my sisters with me
We are family
Get up everybody and sing

We are family
I got all my sisters with me
We are family
Get up everybody and sing

Everyone can see we're together
As we walk on by
And we fly just like birds of a feather
I'm not telling no lie

All of the people around us to say
Can we be that close
Just let me state for the record
We're giving love in a family dose, yeah

We are family
I got all my sisters with me
We are family
Get up everybody and sing

Living life is fun and we've just begun
To get our share of the world's delights
High hopes we have for the future
And our goal's in sight
No we don't get depressed
Here's what we call our golden rule
Have faith in you and the things you do
You won't go wrong, oh no
This is our family Jewel, yeah

We are family
I got all my sisters with me
We are family
Get up everybody and sing

We are family
I got all my sisters with me
We are family
Get up everybody and sing"

"But if anyone asks, I'll completely deny it." Puck said, Santana nodded.

"Agreed." Everyone compromised in unison.

"How was your day?" Rhonda asked as Parker walked into the house that evening.

"It was fine." Rhonda came into the hallway from the kitchen.

"How was Breadstick's?"

"It was a lot of fun." Parker said in wonder, she looked up at the woman in front of her, "Quinn says thank you, she's glad that you didn't judge her, she thanks you for being so nice to her."

"She's a sweetie." Rhonda said, "It was the least I could do." Parker continued to look at her. "What's wrong?" She asked the girl self-consciously, looking down at herself, trying to find what made Parker look at her so strangely. After a minute, Parker blinked and a tear slipped out of her eye and down her cheek, after another blink four followed. In a matter of seconds her cheeks were soaked and she choked back the sob, already embarrassed enough without adding sound effects. "Parker, what's wrong?" Rhonda asked, shocked.

"I'm sorry, it's nothing." Parker whimpered, "Thanks for being so nice." She brushed past her foster-mother and ran up the stairs, slamming her bedroom door in her haste to stuff her face in her pillow, unable to stop herself from crying relentlessly. She felt guilty about making Rhonda feel bad, and making her wonder why the heck the girl was acting so weird. But she couldn't help it.

On the trip down here from Copper City I promised myself that I wouldn't get attached to anything. Rhonda and James were nice but we could never be a family, no matter how much they wanted us to. I didn't plan on making friends, or joining a club. I planned on being invisible like I had been for my entire life. And now...now I'm hurting myself whenever I tell Rhonda and James they aren't my parents. And I have good friends, I'm part of the Glee club and they called us a family. I always had a different definition of family from everyone else. To me family was the people you lived with, the parents that gave birth to you, those people that everyone said was your family. I never believed they weren't, and I never believed I could have a different family. To me it was a bitter word that left a sour taste in my mouth and a sick feeling in my stomach, it was something that I didn't have and definitely didn't want. I didn't know there was another family. The one everyone was telling me about, the family that by very definition is:"a group of people who are generally not blood relations but who share common attitudes, interests, or goals and, frequently, live together". The one where you don't have to be related, but you choose to be. I'm not ready to have a family, I'm not ready to have any kind of family. I'm not ready to have a brother or a sister or a mother or a father. I'm not ready to be a daughter or a sister or a friend or a confident. I'm supposed to be the odd person out. I'm supposed to be invisible.

"We are Family" The Pointer Sisters

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