"What are you doing here?"

Jericho looked up from the pile of books at Mercedes' questioning glance and shrugged. "Volunteering."

"Don't you have a job you should be at?"

"Yeah, but thats just a part time gig. Don't want my mom knowing though."

Mercedes found a rolling chair not far away and came back, reclining in it. Jericho quirked an eyebrow but didn't say anything until Mercedes asked him a question. "How'd you get this volunteer job anyways?"

"I read every book here when I was little," Jericho said in a low tone, his concentration on the book bindings and tape. He smoothed out a flat binding and then closed the book with a creak. "It just seemed like a natural transition."

"That's cool," Mercedes nodded. "I was never very much into books. Watched a lot of tv though."

Jericho smiled. "Dad didn't really want to get me addicted to tv. He made a conscious choice that I'm grateful for."

"Yeah, but you miss so much that way. What about the news, bad movies and stuff like that?"

"I don't feel like I missed out," Jericho shrugged.

"Cool then." They sat in amicable silence for awhile as Jericho finished his task. "What exactly are you doing?"

"Rebinding. Library's having a little trouble raising funds. Look over there," Jericho nodded and Mercedes followed his glance to the six little cubicles with kids at them, clicking away at computer reading games like mad fiends, "that is the future. And its slowly killing their minds."

"But they're still learning letters and reading, aren't they?"

Jericho shook his head. "It's not the same. When I was little, I had pages to turn. I remember each time I got a new book in the Boxcar Children series and how that felt. These kids, they don't know. And I don't think anyone realizes the damage it'll cause in the long run."

Mercedes got up from her seat and came around so that her eyes met Jericho's. "So? Do something about it. I mean, if you want to change something, take some initiative boy."

"Tried that," Jericho said while lowering his eyes and recalling a rather painful memory. "I dressed up in a clown outfit to try and host a reading circle here during Circus Month. I made three kids cry and the rest, well, they just didn't care."

"You can't give up, Jericho. If you love it...Mr. Schue says,"

"I'm well aware of what Mr. Schuester peddles," Jericho said with a bit of a bite that he instantly regretted. He softened his tone as he continued, "but this is the real world. Things like that don't happen here."

Mercedes shook her head. "I used to think that to. Then I learned that you just gotta stand up for yourself and the darkness lies flat on its back. Its scared of that, but those kids you want to help don't even know they need the books."

Jericho scooped up some bound books to take away and Mercedes followed. "I've tried everything I can think of. You got suggestions, be my guest."

Mercedes entered the back room, taken aback by the rows of children books that Jericho was trying to save. Some of them were worn with care, others looked like they had been chewed up and spit out by tornadoes. "I bet you I could think of something."

"Really?" Jericho said with a deflated voice as he set the books down to catalog on a long desk in the middle of the room. He craned his neck downward to fill out the salvage forms on a clipboard and left Mercedes to her own devices for a moment since she obviously hadn't caught the employees and volunteers only sign.

Calling out around the world

Are you ready for a brand new beat?

"What are you doing?" Jericho hissed at Mercedes as he looked around nervously. She had jumped up on top of the desk in her white Converse and was singing, doing little dance moves with it.

"I'm getting inspired, the only way I know how."

"This is a library, Mercedes!"

Summer's here and the time is right

For dancing in the streets

"There ain't nobody here and it seems to me that thats your problem, Jericho."

Jericho grabbed onto Mercedes' hand, trying to pull her off the desk. "You're causing a disturbance."

Mercedes scoffed. "No, you're just too comfortable." Mercedes did a little turn and some papers on the desk went flying around the room. Jericho went after the papers, turning to watch Mercedes as she singed, a bit of annoyance in his eyes.

Its just an invitation across the nation

A chance for folks to meet

It took him a moment to get what she was going for. "That won't work, Mercedes."

"Why not?"

"These parents think the library's just a babysitting service. They don't really care about saving the youth room."

Mercedes shook her head. "That's where you're wrong. I think people will surprise you if you just give them a chance. Get up here, I've heard you in church. I ain't singing by myself."

Oh, it doesn't matter what you wear

Just as long as you are there

Jericho rolled his eyes, grabbing Mercedes' hand and using a sturdy wood chair to vault himself up onto the desk. He felt kind of silly singing along and copying Mercedes dance moves, but he had to admit that she had a great voice and strength when she sang. He admired that; he didn't feel that when he sang: at church, in the shower, anywhere.

So every guy, grab a girl

Everyone around the world will be dancing

They're dancing in the streets

Once they were finished, Jericho fell back into the wooden chair. His feet were planted on the desk still. "You honestly think the parents and kids would come to a block party?"

"I think they will if you show'em how important all these books really are. And I can see how important they are to you at least. How is it Quinn hasn't scooped you up yet?"

Jericho folded his arms, grey plaid meshing as they crossed. "Simple. We're not dating and I don't think either of us have plans for it."

Mercedes shrugged. "All I know is, if I had caught your attention, I sure as hell wouldn't let you go, boy."

Jericho smiled softly. "You caught my attention today."

From here to Chicago

Straight down to New Orleans, yeah

And New York City

All we need is music, sweet music

There'll be music everywhere

And dancing in the streets

A/N: June's song choice: "Dancing in the Streets"