A/N: Hey everyone! So this is the Christmas episode, which isn't really my thing, so it's going to be a little short (and hopefully sweet) before continuing on with the season. Canon for the alumni (some who are not featured) is a little all over the place, so, as a reminder:
Kurt, Blaine, and Rachel are attending NYADA (Blaine and Kurt are still together)
Finn is in the Actor's Studio (Finn and Rachel are still engaged)
Quinn is at Yale, in Connecticut
Artie is at Harvard, in Massachusetts
Puck is cleaning pools while supplementing his income by serenading the LA bar scene
Mercedes is part-time UCLA, part-time singing back-up in an indie recording studio
Mike is at Julliard,, in New York
Tina is at Amherst, in Massachusetts
Santana is at University of Louisville, while Brittany is a dance instructor at a nearby studio (Santana and Brittany are still together)
Sam is modeling in Chicago, Illinois
Joe and Sugar have both transferred to different high schools
A/A/N: Song featured is Christina Aguilera's "This Christmas"
Hey yeah, Roxie sang out as she placed an ornament on the tree centered in the Music Room
Hang all the mistletoe
I'm gonna get to know you better, yeah, she grinned happily as Dalton lowered her from the step ladder and spun her upon hitting the ground.
This Christmas
She took his hand and walked to a box of decorations, And as we trim the tree
How much fun it's gonna be together, yeah, ha
This Christmas
Fireside is blazing bright, Rachel sang as she ran her hand along the garland-covered piano affectionately, and the group grinned to see the alum joining in the festivities
We're caroling through the night
And this Christmas will be, yeah, Mercedes and Caroline harmonized together as they stood on the risers looking down on their friends
A very special Christmas for me, yeah
Mercedes pointed at her former teammates, Ooh, alright
And Caroline slid toward Katie who was watching on the sidelines with Dylan, Hey ooh
Presents and cards are here, Kurt and Blaine duetted together as they leaned in cheek-to-cheek
My world is filled with cheer and you,
Kurt tipped his head upwards happily, oh yeah, before harmonizing the last line again
This Christmas
Nina walked over to where Coby was seated with a smile and a candy cane, And as I look around
Your eyes outshine the town, they do
This Christmas
Fireside is blazing bright, Michelle projected happily, grabbing her brother and pulling him around the room as they harmonized together, We're caroling through the night
Roxie resumed her happy belting, And this Christmas will be
A very special Christmas for me, yeah
She and Rachel stood together, rocking and vocalizing as Quinn, Brittany, and Annie interjected
Merry Christmas, Gonna have a merry Christmas
Merry Christmas
A very special Christmas
(This Christmas)
Alright now, right now, yeah oh
It will be now, oh
(This Christmas)
Oh, this will be, this will be, baby
A very special
Have a merry, merry Christmas
And a happy New Year
Oh hey, alright, yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah
Merry Christmas
This Christmas
Oh this will be, this will be, baby
The song wound down, and Will clapped happily. "Whoo!" he exclaimed with a grin. "That was amazing you guys! And I'll be the first to welcome back our alumni New Directions for the holidays, because, well: Mrs. Pillsbury and I are having a baby!"
Annie rolled her eyes slightly at the latter announcement. Mr. Schue had been telling them the baby was coming for two weeks now, and while being late was normal for first-time moms (or so she'd heard), she was amazed that her instructor was still acting as if the baby's imminent arrival was a fresh update. Although she wondered if he was possibly more excited now because his old New Directions (and especially her brother, who was something of a best friend to the director) were back to be part of it.
She turned to smile at the goofy brunette, back from New York, but her face crinkled unhappily as an egotistical midget diva sidled up next to him and the two leaned into a kiss. She admitted she'd hoped Rachel Berry would have gotten caught up in some stupid NYADA winter project and chosen to stay away from Lima and ruining the sophomore's holiday, but apparently no such luck.
She purposely turned toward the tree, focusing instead on the small group of New (and old) Directions settled in chairs and talking. She looked curiously at Caroline and Quinn sitting next to each other, though looking distant at the same time, but she found herself pulled toward watching Everett and Michelle two chairs over, with the younger Harrison leaning towards her brother happily as she laughed at one of her peer's comments. Her heart ached, and she found herself picking up her bag and slipping out the door.
"Also," Mr. Schue had continued after congratulating everyone on their post-High School progress, "I hope all of you will be around to help out with our own Emma's Christmas Festival this year."
"Winter Festival," Ashwin corrected the teacher pointedly.
Emma suppressed a smirk—her ex, as part of the planning committee, had been insistent about the naming of the event. "It's going to be a great fundraiser for over a dozen student organizations," she supplied, standing as she began passing out fliers and clipboards. "A portion of the proceeds will go towards transportation for Regionals, and I have Glee Club specifically slotted for a prime place in the Pageant." The sophomore allowed her gaze to linger on the Cheerios as she gave out the information before she carried on with her speech. "There's going to be all sorts of booths and contests, and the 4H Club has even arranged for sleigh rides." She beamed proudly. "It really is going to be amazing."
"So I expect everyone to support both Emma and the New Directions by showing up and helping out," Will finished. "And…it's really great to see all of you again."
Coby felt a familiar comfort as he walked down the halls with Puck and Wally beside him. The holidays had always been their time, with he and the graduate being non-Christmas and the sophomore being more akin to Puck in the first place. It was just like old times.
"So," Walt said with a smirk. "What's it like out in California? Sun and sand and hot bikini babes, I assume?"
The older boy laughed. "You can say that again. Every girl is a model or an actress, so they're all hot, and all over this." He gestured to himself with a cocky grin.
"How's the pool-cleaning business going?" Coby asked.
"Eh, it pays rent," Puck replied. "The real payoff is getting out to the clubs on open mic nights and showing off the old pipes. It's basically Girls Gone Wild when the Puckerone makes the scene."
"And I'm sure your mom is loving that," the junior scoffed. The two of them had dealt with their conspiring mothers for years, and he knew that the older boy got just as much flak about his relationships as he did, though from an entirely different angle.
"Hey, what's the point of being young and hot if you can't enjoy yourself, right man?" Walt grinned as he put his hand out, and the two players laughed as they slapped hands. "So, we still on for our annual Christmas-less blowout?"
Coby grinned. He and Puck had held a get-together for years to celebrate Hannakuh as an act of rebellion against the bombardment of Christmas around him, and recently Walt, despite not being Jewish, had gotten into it as well. It was a lot of fun, and for some reason usually involved a lot of girls dressed as naughty Mrs. Clauses, elves, and reindeer despite the whole point of the party.
"Maybe this year we should bring Apu along as well," the husky boy suggested.
"Yeah," Walt agreed. "Now that Ashy-boy has lost his leash, he'd be awesome."
"Hey, the more the merrier, so long as the chick-ratio increases with it," Puck told them. "What about that rich kid friend you're friends with?"
"Dalton's probably doing something Christmas-y with his new girlfriend," the younger player answered as he rolled his eyes. "Probably taking her to BreadstiX or something."
"That could be an interesting change of pace," Coby thought out loud, causing Puck to look at him questioningly. After all, sneaking girls into the Temple basement was half the fun of the party. "They've finally started cracking down now that you've left, ironically."
Puck grinned deviously, and all three boys laughed. "All right then," the mowhawked boy agreed. "BreadstiX it is."
Will appeared at the door of the counselor's office, knocking softly as he looked in toward the redhead pacing by the window. "Emma, what are you doing here?" He tilted his head in concern. "I thought we'd agreed you'd take some vacation days until the baby came."
His wife turned towards him with an anxious expression. "It's been over a week, Will," she reminded him unhappily. "Why isn't he coming?"
The Spanish teacher crossed the room and placed his hands over her shoulders comfortingly. "The doctor said it's perfectly normal for first-time mothers to be late," he reminded her, hunching down to keep eye contact. "He's just a little lazy, is all. It's going to be fine."
Emma watched him for another moment before dropping her gaze. "I've just been so worried about him getting here, and now I'm realizing that I'm more worried about why he's not here yet."
Will frowned in concern, but put on a smile as he flitted to the hall to grab a brown bag and slipped back to his wife's side. "I was going to give this to you when I got home, but now is as good of a time as any," he told her, handing her the package.
The redhead reached inside and pulled out a tiny red-and-white striped onesie. "I thought he could wear it for the holidays," Will smiled at Emma as her lips twitched upwards. "Everything's going to be fine, Emma; I promise. Just tell Figgins you're going home and try to relax, okay? I'll see you there soon."
He watched as his wife nodded and slowly gathered her things before leaving for home. The curly-haired teacher sighed: if Cory didn't get here soon, he was so going to be grounded.