Find Yourself-

So I am totally sorry for the lack of updates but I think my muse finally figured out just what she wants to happen in the final three chapters set to happen before the epilogue… anyway sit back relax and enjoy…

XXX

May 17th, 2010:

After a weekend full of major relationship Drama Kristina was greatful to be back in school.

"So," Artie said with a smile as he wheeled up to his girlfriend as she stood by her locker, "how did thinkgs go after you left my house last night?"

Letting out a sigh Kristina looked into her boyfriends sparkling eyes.

"Earily calming."

Artie just nodded, he knew that Kurt was a bit of a drama queen and that if he hadn't snapped yet from his break up with Finn…well it would happen sooner or later…he just hoped it didn't cumninate in his dear friend insisting on giving him a make over cause he was perfectly happy with his sweater vests thank you verry much.

'Speak of the Devil,' Artie thought as the young man headed over toward their general direction dressed to perfection, a smile on his face.

"Guys, guess what I've heard."

"That Coach Sylvester got fired?" Kristina asked.

"That Sweater Vests are now in and you'll stop bugging me about my style choices."

Kurt shook his head.

"No and thankfully no, anyways I just overheard that thay are opeing up a Marc Jacobs outlet at the mall."

Kristina and Artie just rolled their eyes.

"Mock me all you want but we're so going Kris," he began flashing the girl a half smile before turning to Artie and glaring at him, "and you can come too… I'm sure we can do wonders for your wardrobe."

Thankfully that moment the warning bell rang causing Kurt to head to his first class in a flurry.

"See I knew this was going to happen."

"Well you brought up those sweater vests of yours," Kristina said leaning over to give her boyfriend a kiss.

Artie softly blushed as she pulled back.

"I'll convince my non brother that I find sweater vests to be rather sexy."

Artie nodded hoping she could pull off that feet as he wheeled away and Kristina slipped into the chemesrry lab and into her stool besides Puck.

XXX

"So," Puck said as homeroom began, "I heard about the little soap opera going on, and I thought my life was a mess."

Kristina shook her head as a saddened expression crossed her face.

'Gosh,' she thought to herself, 'was everyone breaking up?'

"I meant…you know last semester at the height of babygate."

Kristina just nodded as although she hadn't known the young man back then she had heard the stories.

"Anyways so Finn is straight again…you know between you and me I knew it wouldn't last between him and Kurt…no offence."

"Why should I take offence."

"Well Hummel is as good as your brouther…"

"True."

"and well… Tina is one of your friends…"

It was then that it hit Kristina… how did Puck know that Finn and Kurt broke up after Tina had kissed Finn on Friday night?

"Finn told me," Puck said as if he was reading her mind, "I guess we're finaly back to where we were before I slept with Quinn huh?"

Kristina just nodded and decided now would be a perfect time to change the subject.

"So, speaking of the happy act of betrayal that lead to the conception of my niece how is she?"

"Dani? She's amazing…"

The two of them began to talk about Danielle for a while until the teacher entered the room leacturing about how instead of a traditional final they would be having a lab which will count as a fourth of their final grade.

"Score one for Puckzilla," the young jock said walking out of the class with the young brunette as another young brunette approached and kissed his cheek.

"Score one for you why Noah?" Rachel asked.

"Chemestry."

"I know the two of us have chemistry but…"

"no I mean Chemestry as in the class…we're having a lab instead of a final… I kill at labs… play my cards right and your looking at your boyfriend having an A- final grade in honors chemistry… pretty badass huh."

Rachel just nodded as the trio headed for their second period classes.

XXX

The day seemed to go by at a pretty normal pace and by the time lunch rolled around Kristina was fully prepped for whatever awkwardness would awkwardness didn't ensue as Kristina joined Artie, Kurt, Tina, Mike, and Mercedes for lunch. Instead talk turned to essays, outlets, and a pair of job openings that Mercedes noticed the chic accessory butique downtown had.

"So, I recently found out the owner's sister works as a receptionist at my dad's office so one of the jobs is in the bag for me, and well I can't see anyone outher then one of my girls as my fellow coworker."

Tina looked at the brunette and smiled.

"You should apply, the store is to pink for my liking."

Smiling Kristina thought that although she did have an expendable income it would definitely be refreshing to earn her own money.

"I'll definitely consider it."

Mercedes just nodded as they idaly chatted on.

XXX

As their Lit teacher was writing down the time and place of their AP exam she turned to Kurt and flashed him a smile.

"How are you doing…really?"

"I told you…I'm fine…I mean.."

"if you mention once again about the stupid Marc Jacobs outlet that opens Friday at the mall I swear to god I'll get Artie's dad to drive me home."

"fine… but…"

"Anyways AP classes aside, has McKinley always preferred to assign labs and essays as opposed to actual finals."

"Well it's only the end of my sophomore year but yea… I guess they do."

"So then…want to hit the library after school to study for Friday."

"It's a date Kris," he said with a smile as they listened to the teacher list topical points for the AP exam.

XXX

Tuesday was pretty uneventful, however Wednesday things began to get a little more interesting for well… everyone.

Tina was walking toward the cafeteria when a pair of hands grabed her from behind and pulled her into a vacant janitors closet.

Opening her mouth she began to let out a scream when a familiar voice filled the room.

"Tina, don't it's just me."

"Finn?" she questioned turning around and looking up into his big brown eyes.

They really hadn't talked to one another since the weekend and during said talk they had agreed to just stay friends so as not to rush into a rebound relationship… however that didn't explain why Finn so casualy pulled her into the janator's closet.

"Tina, we need to talk."

"In the janator's closet?"

"I was desporate?" he said…his words sounding more like he was asking her a question which caused her to roll her eyes as he flashed a goffy grin and went on, "ok so that kiss."

"Was nothing."

"No… it wasn't…I was thinking Tina…"

"Should I be worried?"

Finn rolled his eyes at that comment, ok so he wasn't the smartest person but still…

"Maybe… we…you and me could…"

"If the next word out of your mouth is date my answe is no."

"No."

"No," Tina replied causing Finn to shocase a saddened expression, "it's not you… it's me."

"Famous last words….and don't tell me it's cause your still hung up on Ethan cause the dude dumped you via phonecall on your anniversary."

"It's not cause of Ethan."

"Then Kurt."

"partially."

"and the other part?"

"It's still too soon…I mean if I picked right up and started dating you wouldn't it look like I'm rebounding… like I'm the kind of girl who has to be in some kind of relationship. I mean it was four mounths before I moved on from Artie to Ethan."

"We're you even dateing Artie?"

"Finn!"

"Sorry."

"Ok so I wasn't technically dating Artie… but I'm a strong independednt women and I need time…"

"How much time?"

Tina paused for a moment to think it through.

"I'd say till at least when school gets out."

"Eight days… I can handle it," Finn said before looking at the clock hanging on the wall, "anyway Tina, you should go, after all it was kind of rude of me to make you miss most of your lunch like this."

"Yea… kinda.."

XXX

Meanwhile as Tina was in her impromptu conversation with Finn the other five members of their clique were in deep conversation… well three of them at least.

"So," Kristina said with a smile, "I got the job…I think."

Mercedes squeeled and tossed an arm around her friend wthile their boyfriends looked at one another.

"So, soon our women will be pitching in on financing our dates," Artie said with a smile in Mike's direction.

"I thought you were a gentleman Artie?"

"I…well…"

Kristina leaned over and kissed his cheek.

"We can go half," she whispered in his ear as Mike and Mercedes were engulfed in a similar argument… Kurt busily reading a novel trying not to think of himself as the fifth wheel.

"Speaking of dates," Mike said pulling his mouth away from Mercedes's cheek, "we should do that whole double date thing soon."

"How about Friday?" Artie asked looking from his girl to his dearest friend, "it's open mic comedy night at that little café we like Krissy…"

Kristina smiled, Mercedes and Mike agreed and the date was set just as Tina arrived and Kurt quickly glanced up from his book.

"Sorry I'm late," she replied, "I was trying to avoid being slushied."

She was shocked that she managed to lie without breaking into a stutter and even more shocked that they baught it as the period ended.

XXX

School ended and Kurt drove directly home and headed into the Davis-Hummel family room where he let out a sigh. He thought he could hold out for the massive retail theoropy session he had planed for Sunday with Kristina, however after seeing the way Tina entered the cafaterial that afternoon, late, with that smile on her face, the smile of someone in like… well he had to do something that was distracting and nothing was as distracting as planning a party.

Kurt was busily scribbling down party ideas that he didn't notice Alexis entering the room.

"Somebody looks busy," she said causing him to look up.

"Oh it's nothing Alexis, I'm just planning a party."

"A party?"

"Nothing as elaborate as my 1940's gala… just a simple Memorial Day gathering."

"Gathering?"

"Well Barbique."

"But you and Kristina are Vegitarians and that friend Rachel of yours is a Vegan…"

"Ah Alexis… you don't know me as well as you think," he replied thrusting the pad of paper he'd been scribbling on into her hand which contained an all too detailed menu, guest, and supply list.

XXX

Soon Wednesday turned to Thursday and Thursday turned to Friday, the day of the AP exam. Also it was the day of Kristina and Puck's final lab and so by the time school ended and it was time for her date Kristina felt a huge weight lift off her shoulders. Of course that just could have been due to the fact that curently she was perched on Artie's lap while he was giving her a backrub.

"I could get used to this," Kristina moaned as Mike looked over to his friend and smiled.

"Artie, could you tone it down…your setting the bar pretty high for the Changster."

Artie shook his head as he leant over and placed a gentle kiss on his girlfriends next while Mercedes glared at her own boyfriend who leaned over and kissed her.

"Now that's better," she said with satasfaction as one of the members of one of McKinley's sports teams was curently on stage reciting a Dane Cook bit with horrible comedic timeing.

"where's the slushies when you need them," Mike said causing Artie to look at him.

"When have you ever been slushied?" he asked, "I thought you, Matt, Santana, and Brittnay were the only four members of glee who hadn't suffered that humiliation."

"Yea, tell us so that I can yell at the neanderthol for doing that to my man," Mercedes said ddefensivly.

Mike choked out a little laugh.

"Karofsky," Mike said, "twice… first time around the time that Kurt had us doing the single ladies dance and the second time back when coach was making us choose football or glee and Matt and I chose glee… I think that was Matt's only slushie."

"Anyway," Artie said, "change of subject as I realy don't think slushies are romantic."

"Neither do I," Kristina said looking her boyfriend into his eyes, "so what subject do you have in mine?"

"Well," he said sucking in a breath, "it's a bit of bad news actually."

"Boy," Mercedes said, "don't be dumping your girl in the middle of a date."

Kristina poited.

Artie had said less then a week ago he was hers for the long haul and if he were breaking up with her… well lets just say if he already wasn't in that chair…smiling however she gave him the benefit of the doubt.

"What is it Artie?" Kristina asked.

"I can't go with you and Kurt on your shopping extravaganza on Sunday."

The trio looked at him as to say 'that was all' as Kristina physically spoke up.

"Why? Scared that Kurt will try to make you over still?"

"A little," Artie admitted openly and honestly, "but seriously I have a family thing….I'd invite you if I didn't already know you had plans."

Kristina kissed his cheek thinking that it was so sweet of her boyfriend to want to include her in his family events.

"Trust me, if Kurt wasn't in a funk I'd probably consider blowing him off."

"Speaking of Kurt," Mercedes said with a smile, "I met this guy from Carmel High that I think would be perfect for Kurt…do you think it would be too soon if…"

"Yes," Mike said kissing his girlfriends cheek to stop her from even suggesting setting Kurt up.

It wasn't cause Carmel was their schools biggest rival and it wasn't because he knew Artie, Kristina and his girlfriend would plot to push the two boys together… ok so those two elements were important as well however his real reason was cause Matt had decided to confide in him that he might have feelings for Kurt and while he was still trying to figure out if it was just going to be like Finn 2.0 at the same time he didn't want his friends window of opportunity to close if Kurt found his Mr. Right before then.

XXX

TBC

Many many Matt/Kurt teases…I'm sure certain friends will be happy… PS go out and read all of Adampascalfan's brilliant Kurt/Matt fics they won't disappoint!

Next Chapter… The Mall Trip… School Ends…and Country Club Confessions…