A/N: Song featured is "Ding Dong Merrily on High" and "Auld Lang Syne".
"There he is," Mercedes breathed as the group stood outside of the nursery.
"Little Schuester," Kurt added, and Blaine squeezed his hand.
"Cory. He's absolutely perfect." Rachel smiled and leaned close to Finn, who grinned down at her.
"We'll have three," he whispered in her ear, and her expression brightened as she nestled further into his embrace.
"I can't believe we were all here for this," Tina said with happy tears running down her face, and when Mike sidled next to her and touched her arm, she accepted his hug warmly. "Even though everyone is all spread out and going after their dreams, we all made it back to see Mr. and Mrs. Schue's baby being born. It's like destiny."
"Mrs. Pillsbury-Schuester is ready for visitors, guys," Quinn said as she joined them.
"We should sing something," Finn suggested. "Little Cory would get a kick out of that."
"I think someone beat us to the punch," Santana replied, nodding to the gradually increasing volume coming from the halls, and the group looked to see the new New Directions appearing as they softly began their tribute to the newest addition.
Ding-dong, dong-ding, ding, dong-ding, the group sang together, and Caroline took the lead as the whole team, old and new, made their way into the room where Will, Emma, and baby Cory were now resting.
Ding dong merrily on high, in heav'n the bells are ringing!
Ding dong! verily the sky is riv'n with angel singing.
Glo-oh, oh, o, oh, oh, o, oh, o-ria, Quinn added as she moved next to her sister, and the two intertwined arms as they duetted, Hosanna in excelsis!
E'en so here below, below, Mercedes sang, and Nina smiled and harmonized, Let steeple bells be swungen,
And "Io, io, io!"
By priest and people sungen.
Glo-oh, oh, o, oh, oh, o, oh, o-ria, sang Emma, and Ashwin, Coby, Puck, and Wally joined grinning, Hosanna in excelsis!
Rachel stepped forward, as she and Finn bent down to hug their teachers, Pray you, dutifully prime, your matin chime, ye ringers;
Annie moved next to her and took the lead, May you beautifully rime, your evetime song, ye singers.
Together they entoned, Glo-oh, oh, o, oh, oh, o, oh, o-ria, Hosanna in excelsis!
And the group joined in for a final, Glo-oh, oh, o, oh, oh, o, oh, o-ria, Hosanna in excelsis!
Will and his family was speechless, though both adults were tearing up. "Thank you all," he finally emoted. "So much, for being here. You've always been my family."
Everyone suddenly moved in to hug and compliment him on his luck and assure everyone else that they would always be family and always be together, no matter where life took them.
Emma stepped out of the cold and back into the elevator, pushing the button to take her back to the group in the maternity ward. The elevator paused on its trip and she found Liam stepping in beside her, yogurt in hand.
"Where'd you go?" he asked, smiling as she pressed her lips together. "You called the team back at school."
"I am in charge of the event," she answered semi-defensively. "They're doing okay for now."
"But you're going back," he stated, and she nodded. "I'm surprised you even left in the first place."
She looked at him. "It's Christmas," she replied with a pointed look. "A time for family and being jolly I guess. I just didn't want to miss this."
"Well, I'm glad you came," Liam told her. "And we'll get you that video ASAP."
"Good," she said with a smile.
"This was a great break," Puck said with relish as the boys sprawled out in the waiting room. "I think we definitely outdid ourselves."
"It was good to have you back, man," Coby told him, and the two reached over the backs of their seats to bump fists. "Wouldn't have been the same without you."
"I'm really proud of you boys," the graduate praised. "I was a little worried, leaving the two of you alone, but it looks like you're doing alright for yourselves."
"Beside the fact that I'm never putting Austin Harrison in charge of libations again," Walt added. "We're just lucky only one person took home a hallucination-inducing cake, and that she was willing to forgive us instead of pressing charges."
"But Annie's okay?" the husky junior asked, and his friend nodded.
"A little shaken, but yeah—she's fine."
"Hudson's baby sis is cool—she'll bounce back, no problem," Puck put in, sitting up. "I gotta say: I made out like a bandit last night. I forgot how much I love high school girls. Nobody questions the cool-factor of the Puckerone back here."
"You mean they do in LA?" Walt asked, eyebrow arching up in surprise. "I thought you had a sweet set-up over there—cougars and their pools by day, naughty rock hotties by night?"
"Eh, it's more hit-and-miss," his older friend admitted with a sigh. "Most of the women I work for are more rich bitch, less Mrs. Robinson, you know? And the girls—well, they're cool, but if you can't buy them a non-fat mocha chai whatever, then you may not be able to get past the back room in the bar. It's definitely taking a hit on my skills."
"Crazy," the sophomore told him.
"But no worries—I am one rock anthem away from having all of the groupies a guy could ask for. And if things are the way they look here, I'm leaving McKinley in very good hands." The mohawked boy got to his feet. "I'm going to grab some food—anybody want to come with?"
Coby stood immediately, but Walt stayed in his chair. "Nah, man, I'm good." They each gave a wave and he watched the boys disappear down the hall.
The boy leaned back in his chair, turning back to the hall to watch Ashwin make his way towards him. "Hey, man, what's up?"
"I just wanted to let you know I was heading out," the Indian boy told his friend. "Emma needs to get back to the festival, and I've got to help with the ponies."
"Honestly man—you two are still practically joined at the hip," Walt complained, rolling his eyes. "Did you even try to have a good time last night?"
"I did, and I did, actually," the academic replied with a smile, causing the other sophomore's eyebrows to arch in surprise. "I met some interesting people, and I got to do some teenager stuff. But I also realized that Emma's my best friend, and that we both have responsibilities. So I'm just going to have to work on balancing that for now." He gave his friend a look. "So long as you're still willing to help out if I need it."
Walt smirked. "You can count on it," he assured his friend, and clasped his hand to bring him into a one-armed hug. "Take care, man."
The brunette watched his friend leave, and grinned at the varying levels of accomplishment he'd made in less than a week. Pretty good for a guy with no ambition, he thought to himself.
Annie practically jumped out of her skin when she saw Rachel come through the bathroom door. While she was certain she was actually seeing the real-deal this time and not a drug-induced illusion, she was still a bit freaked out by how many pint-sized Barbara-worshiping divas she'd come across and was a little unsteady about the whole situation.
"Annie, can we talk?" The tall girl nodded, and the pint-sized girl stepped closer timidly. "I feel like we got off on the wrong foot, and I just wanted to apologize—"
"Actually, I think maybe I have to apologize," Annie interrupted, and the thoughts that had been bouncing around in her head since this morning formulated into an epiphany. "When we first met—actually, pretty much the whole time you've been with Finn—I looked for reasons to dislike you. I called you selfish and a diva and a lot of other things. I was just so angry at you for dating my brother, because I told myself that you weren't good enough for him. But really, I figured out that when I saw my brother with you, I saw him growing up and becoming something bigger than what he thought he could be. Finn's dreams have gone so far beyond what they were when we were little, and I know so much of that has to do with you; I guess I'm just scared that he's leaving me behind when he goes off with you."
The aspiring starlet put her hand out to take the sophomore's, and she smiled softly. "I know I'm not adopted like you, but I do get being protective of family. I really want more than anything for us to be friends, not just family; and believe me when I say wholeheartedly that I would never want to take Finn away from you, or Kurt for that matter. I know I have a lot of faults, but Finn makes me a better person, just like you think that maybe I help make him one." She looked up at the Cheerio with a hopeful expression. "Do you think we could be friends?"
Annie nodded. "I think if we're going to be family, we have to be." Her face brightened with inspiration. "And I think I know where we can start."
Back on stage at the festival, Annie and Rachel stood together with a spotlight shining down as the festival began to close.
Annie's voice rang out, Should old acquaintance be forgot, and never brought to mind?
Should old acquaintance be forgot, and old lang syne?
Rachel held out her hand as her voice harmonized with the other girl, And surely you'll buy your pint cup, and surely I'll buy mine
And we'll take a cup o' kindness yet, for auld lang syne.
On the outskirts of the quad, Ashwin and Emma hugged before he turned to hop into the last Chevy to take home the last of the Dales, and Liam stepped over to the girl with a grin on his face and a zip drive in his hand. He watched with a small smirk as she gratefully took the video from him and penned an enthusiastic check-mark on her clipboard.
We two have run about the slopes, and picked the daisies fine;
But we've wandered many a weary foot, since auld lang syne.
Meanwhile, Coby and Puck returned to the waiting room where Walt was still sprawled in multiple chairs, and the sophomore appreciatively took the cup of coffee from his friends as they laughed and recounted their adventures from the previous evening.
For auld lang syne, my dear,
for auld lang syne,
we'll take a cup of kindness yet, for auld lang syne.
In the hospital room, Emma and Will leaned close together, foreheads touching as they watched their newborn son sleep. The curly-haired teacher bowed forward to place a gentle kiss on the boy's head and they both knew that life would never be the same.
We two have paddled in the stream, from morning sun till dine;
But seas between us broad have roared since auld lang syne.
At The Lima Bean, Caroline and Quinn sat opposite of each other at a table as the younger told her sister of her various adventures at McKinley. The blonde smiled happily at the Cheerio, and offered encouragement to the girl every chance she got.
For auld lang syne, my dear, Rachel and Annie duetted as the music began to fade with the last of the lights, for auld lang syne,
we'll take a cup of kindness yet, for auld lang syne.
A/A/N: Hope everyone liked the episode! Just a reminder- while this is sort-of canon, don't put too much stock into the episode, since it's "just" a Christmas ep. Basically, there may be some references to some character changes in this episode, but I don't plan on using it for any future story lines.
Thanks for being patient while I move forward with the second half of Season 1!