A/N: Yea for internet! I've finally moved in properly (sort of), and at least have all of my essentials. I'm really excited too, since the story is developing by both outline and editing at a decent pace, so I hope I can keep up with the update frequency!.

A/A/N: Song featured is "A Thousand Years" by Christina Perry.

"For Marilyn's sake, Hiccup, will you please just listen to me?" Michelle had been texting and hounding her brother incessantly for the past two days, and he'd recently simply taken to avoiding her for any moment of peace. "This is really important!"

"For the hundredth time, Chelle, I don't want to talk about it." The boy's curly locks sprang rapidly against his skull as he attempted to quicken his pace.

"And for the hundredth time, you need to talk about it," his sister insisted. "We're all in danger Hiccup, and as your sister and your confidante, it is my duty to push you toward doing the right thing."

"I'm not ready, Michelle," Everett snapped in a low voice, slowing behind a corner after making certain they were alone. "I'm not ready to add yet another reason for McKinley to make my life miserable, and if you love me at all you'll keep your promise and keep your mouth shut."

"I'll keep my mouth shut, Everett, but Nikki won't!"

"I'm already the pinnacle of Loserdom—spreading my secrets won't help her cause."

"We don't know her cause Ev—we just know that she's lashing out at anyone connected to Caroline and Glee, and that includes you."

"She's not that cruel," her brother insisted, shaking his head stubbornly. "No one would throw someone out of the closet like that just for kicks."

The tiny Cheerio gave her brother a look. "Do you even know Nikki Hardy? She's been a manipulative bitch since she was in diapers. And now she has a secret that could be one more step in taking down her enemy."

"How?" Everett demanded in desperation.

"I don't know," the girl replied in equal frustration. "But I know that it would kill me for you to go through what Katie and Dylan did Monday. Coby likes you Hiccup, and you've got friends and me and Dad and Papa. Just take that last step."

The junior kicked his shoes into the linoleum and bit his bottom lip. "I just…I can't," he confessed to the wide-eyed girl in front of him. "I'm just not there yet, and I refuse to let a bully like Nikki Hardy push me to do something I'm not ready for." He placed a comforting hand on his sister's shoulder as the freshman looked ready to cry. "It'll be okay Ellie—I promise."

For possibly the first time in her life Michelle felt speechless in her helplessness, and so it was her big brother that pulled her into a comforting embrace.

Andrew shut his locker door and found Caroline staring at him from the other side. "Okay, so now I'm positive you're avoiding me," she accused him, causing his eyes to go wide before she backtracked guiltily. "I'm sorry—I thought we had a moment. If you weren't interested, you could have just said something."

The sophomore began tripping over his tongue as he shook his head. "No! No—I do—I think you're great. I mean—it's just—"

"Drew, breathe," the honey-brunette girl instructed, giving him a small smile as she gestured up and down her torso to emphasize the proper technique. "Just tell me what's going on."

The boy stared at his shoes. "I want to ask you out. I do," he told her. "Because you're pretty, and smart, and nice…" He glanced up and saw the Cheerio's smile had grown as she blushed slightly, making her look gorgeous, and he rubbed his hands together as he whipped his head back down. "But I just—I can't."

Andrew jogged down the hallway toward the Music Room. He opened the door and watched as Teddy, back to the entrance, focused hard on the chords of his guitar.

"I'm really sorry about the other night," he apologized, taking a step further into the room. The junior lifted his head to get a better view from his peripheral vision, then stood with his back purposely to the sophomore and strode over to his case. "I was drunk and she's Caroline Fabray, and—"

"Exactly, she's Caroline," Teddy bit back angrily, whirling around to face his "friend". "I love her, you knew that, and you just go behind my back like that?"

"You're not the only one who cares about her," the smaller boy argued. "I never thought in a million years a girl like her would notice a guy like me, and at the party it was like she miraculously did; plus I was drunk, so I just kind of went for it. I mean, you guys aren't even together anymore."

"We just broke up," came the junior's rebuttal. "And that was my fault—I know that. But there's still something between us, and besides—there's a code. I thought we were friends."

"We are," Andrew asserted. He took a deep breath and looked down at his shoes. "We are."

"So what? I can't date anyone decent unless Teddy gives the okay?" Caroline retorted, incensed.

"Come on, Care; you know it's not like that," the stocky boy mumbled as his face burned crimson.

The Cheerio was piqued, however, and she carried on, "What happened to being bolder, Drew? Going after what you want? If Teddy really wanted you or me to be happy, he'd let us both get on with our lives and find people to date that made us happy—he wouldn't be laying claim on me with some stupid Bro Code that makes everyone stuck and miserable."

Andrew bit his lip uncomfortably. He really did care about Caroline, and she was right in a lot of ways…

But, "I can't," he told her miserably. "He's my friend, and it wouldn't be right."

"Yeah, well; thanks for leading me on then," the dejected girl told him scathingly, storming off.

Uh uh uh uh uh uh uh oh she huffed as she walked down the hall
Uh uh uh uh uh uh uh oh

In front of the team, she and the other Cheerios stood center stage, Midnight, I'm drunk
I don't give a fuck
Stassi and Nina pulled her back and forth, Wanna dance, by myself
Guess you're outta luck, she continued as she broke free of both of them
The freshman took a few steps forward as she wagged her finger at Teddy and Andrew, Don't touch, back up-I'm not the one
Buh-bye
She spun around and stepped back into formation with the other girls as they began a hip-hop routine, Listen up it's just not happening
You can say what you want to your boyfriends
Just let me have my fun tonight
Aiight?

The performance moved to the stage, and Caroline jumped feverishly alone as she burst into the chorus, I'm not here for your entertainment
You don't really want to mess with me tonight
Just stop and take a second
I was fine before you walked into my life
Cause you know it's over
Before it began
Keep your drink just give me the money
It's just you and your hand tonight

Back in the Music Room, the Cheerios began jutting around as the song skipped, Uh uh uh uh uh uh uh oh
Break-break-break it down

Caroline leaned against the piano with the girls as they smirked mockingly at each other, In the corner with your boys you bet 'em five bucks
You'd get the girl that just walked in but she thinks you suck
We didn't get all dressed up just for you to see
So quit spilling your drinks on me yeah

The girls began slapping hands and nudging shoulders as Caroline stepped away from them to flick Andrew's hair, You know who you are
High fivin, talking shit, but you're going home alone arentcha?

On stage, Caroline began throwing herself around in a passionate routine, I'm not here for your entertainment
(No no no)
You don't really want to mess with me tonight
Just stop and take a second
(Just take a second)
I was fine before you walked into my life
Cause you know it's over
Before it began
Keep your drink just give me the money
It's just you and your hand tonight
Yeah oh

The song closed, and Caroline walked offstage with a disappointed scoff at the boys in her life.

Emma rummaged through her backpack in the office of the newsroom, pulling out her lunch and taking a bite of her granola bar. The day had been a special hell that no amount of work could distract her from. She could feel everyone staring at her in class, whispering about her in the hallways, mocking her very existence. Even her daily run had provided no comfort, because all she could think of with every step was Rhi's voice telling her she didn't know her own ex.

The brunette couldn't stand it anymore, and finally pulled out her phone, sending a quick text. Not five minutes after receiving an answer, she watched carefully as a tall, clean-cut type-A personality walked through the door of the newsroom, glancing curiously about the empty space before making his way toward her.

"Hey Emms," he greeted softly. She said nothing, only eyed him warily. "Are you okay? You're text sounded pretty urgent."

"You told everyone at the party that you weren't a virgin," she stated. "Not a surprise, considering you had dated Aria Gauthier for over a month. But she said that you told her that you and I had sex as well."

"I never told her that you and I slept together Emma," Ashwin assured her, taking a step closer to her. "I wouldn't do that."

Emma backed away from him, still feeling overwrought with emotion. "But you told her you weren't a virgin, right?" The Indian boy looked at her wordlessly, his lips parted in stunned speechlessness. "So were you lying to her or to me? Did you just cover up your insecurities by saying you were a regular Casanova or something? Because you always said you never cared about that kind of stuff—"

"Emma, I did tell her that I wasn't a virgin." Ashwin attempted to keep his eyes on the girl that thought she was the love of his life, but the look of remorse was almost too much for her to bear. "I didn't do it to make me seem more experienced."

"But you did tell her," Emma repeated, the information slowly splintering her heart into pieces as she processed what the sophomore told her. She could feel her chest tense with fury as she watched his eyes glisten with tears.

She nodded briskly. "Honesty, that's what you always said, right Ash? Honesty and communication and being true to one another?" She strode to him and pushed his chest hard, causing him to take a step back. "How is screwing some other girl while we were dating any of those things? How is letting me find out from Rhi Gauthier any of it? How could you?" She pushed him again, though as her fury morphed to anguish, she lost the strength to move the larger boy in front of her.

She turned and braced herself against her desk. "Get out," she whispered, desperately trying to hold back the tears that threatened to overwhelm her. "Get out! Get out!" she screamed, not caring that her voice cracked, or whether anyone could hear them, or anything other than getting the only boy that had ever cared about her as far from her as physically possible.

The girl that McKinley thought had it all waited another minute after Ashwin's departure before sliding into her seat and sobbing uncontrollably.

Addie stepped through the door of the Music Room during last period. Technically she was supposed to be in her Art History class, but her guilt was starting to eat at her and so she decided to skip it.

"Mr. Schue?" she called out, her expression widening in surprise as she saw Dalton, Roxie, Coby, and Ashwin look up at her from their seats near the drum set. "What are you guys doing here?" she asked curiously.

Just then the glee director walked back in from his office, "Okay guys, I did take a look at the music you brought to me, and I think what we need is—" the curly-top teacher finally noticed the newcomer. "Oh, hello…?"

"Addison Baxter," the blonde introduced herself, stepping forward and shaking hands firmly with the man. "Addie. I'm president of the McKinley PFLAG chapter and do illustrative journalism for the school paper."

"Addie, what are you doing here?" Ashwin asked as his eyes narrowed suspiciously at the girl. Addie swallowed thickly as she glanced at him, knowing that he was likely distrustful of everyone after the story the Muckrakers ran just fifteen minutes ago on his and Emma's blowout.

"I wanted to audition for the Glee Club," she replied, causing eyebrows to arch in surprise. "Look, you guys were really nice to me last week, and I'm a firm believer in the underdogs uniting together against the oppressive elite." She glanced around. "Besides, I figure you guys could use all the support you can get right now."

The halls were empty, but Stassi was still anxious as she glanced around. Hayley scoffed at the girl and grabbed her wrist, smirking as she caught the surprised quirking of the junior's lips as the rebel dragged her down the corridor and into the Art Room. She was actually amazed that the Armenian girl would meet with her at all with Bert and Ernie popping up everywhere to spread Muckraker stories like wildfire. It made her heart skip to think that The Enforcer was softening up, even just a little.

"I don't have to tell you that this is beyond reckless," Stassi reminded her, causing Hayley to roll her eyes at the other's reversion to form. "What is so important that we're meeting somewhere as exposed as this?" She gestured to the open windows that adorned the room with natural light.

"This," the sophomore replied, sliding her hand up the Cheerio's arm and pulling her in for a slow kiss. They pulled apart softly, both smiling, and Hayley grinned as she moved toward her work station. "And…this." She reached down behind her numerous canvases and pulled out a small 8x10 painting.

She watched in delight as Stassi gently took the piece in her hands, fingers ghosting over the artwork. It was an airbrushed Cheerio skirt, shadowed with a familiar Middle-Eastern skin tone drawn with angles in what appeared to be the shape of a sort of chess piece, with Tic Tacs painted in the background in a display of fireworks. "It's beautiful."

Hayley let out the breath she didn't realize she'd been holding. "Yeah, well, it took a little effort to get the right coloring, and originally I was going to get real Tic Tacs, but I figured you might eat them." She chuckled softly as she watched the junior stare at the gift. "You really like it?"

Stassi tilted her head upward to look at the sophomore. She smiled a gentle, radiant smile that blew the rebel away in its sincerity, and pulled the Asian girl close into a lingering kiss.

Addie watched as a middle-aged gentleman with glasses and a beard suddenly appeared at the piano and played the introductory chords of her audition song. Her eyes quirked dubiously, but she took a deep breath to center herself and faced Mr. Schuester, who was now sitting with his team.

Heart beats fast, she began. Colors and promises
How to be brave, how can I love when I'm afraid to fall?
But watching you stand alone
All of my doubt suddenly goes away somehow
One step closer…

Hayley felt Stassi's arms wrap around her, not rough or needy like they did so often in their quick dark-room romps, but slowly and soft as if she was really letting herself feel the moment. The streak-haired girl pulled away for a moment, and watched as the cold-girl's eyes shone back at her with a brightness that felt all too rare in their relationship.

I have died every day waiting for you
Darling don't be afraid I have loved you for a thousand years
I'll love you for a thousand more

Addie smiled as she felt a rush of adrenaline after the chorus. She may not be the prettiest girl in school by society's standards, may not conform to the ideals of her peers, but she could sing with the best of them, and she knew her song embodied the longing and romance that infused her own being.

Time stands still, she continued, smiling radiantly as she watched Dalton's hand slip into his girlfriend's, Beauty in all she is
I will be brave, I will not let anything take away what's standing in front of me
Every breath, every hour has come to this
One step closer…

Hayley smiled as the older girl lightly kissed her again, and she wrapped her toned arms around the Cheerio as she pulled her close, resting her head softly on her shoulder as the two swayed to nonexistent music. She'd never felt as special, as perfect, as she did in this moment, and she knew that she would be willing to do pretty much anything if Stassi Moran would just keep holding her like she was right now.

Meanwhile, in an almost empty library, a phone buzzed with a new text message. A tiny hand pushed the icon to receive, and the screen communicated, "Art Room—she's on her way from gym. Go now." Books rustled as the hands hastily stuffed them in the bag, and Lindsay Erne began texting Bert to meet her ASAP.

I have died every day waiting for you
Darling don't be afraid I have loved you for a thousand years
I'll love you for a thousand more

Stassi dipped her face back into the artist's, slowly combing the girl's wild tresses with one hand while using the thumb on her other to rub small circles on her hip. Hayley found herself reflecting on the fact that while they'd fooled around numerous times for months now, here, in the sunlit room completely dressed, she'd never felt more intimate with the other girl.

All along I believed I would find you
Time has brought your heart to me and I have loved you for a thousand years
I'll love you for a thousand more

Lindsay kept her back pressed against the corner as she watched the corridor out of the corner of her eye. When she saw a blonde hipster in a military jacket flit by, she nodded to her Asian cohort and pushed a button on her watch, staring at the numbers tic down toward zero.

One step closer…
One step closer…

Addie took a deep breath as she pulled herself up to full height to sing the last chorus. Down the hall, Lindsay watched the timer chirp as it reached zero and took her own breath as she steeled herself against what she was about to do. And Hayley listened as the gorgeous Cheerio in front of her took a deep breath as if immersing herself in the rebel's being.

I have died every day waiting for you
Darling don't be afraid I have loved you for a thousand years
I'll love you for a thousand more
All along I've believed I would find you
Time has brought your heart to me and I have loved you for a thousand years
I'll love you for a thousand more

The two jumped in shock as the Art Room door crashed open and they found themselves accosted by a camera and microphone. "Haley Montenegro and Rhi Gauthier, how long have you two been—" Ernie rambled off before cutting herself off in shock of what she saw.

"Stassi Moran?" she finally squeaked, and before Hayley could punch the girl in the face, she felt a hand clasp around her own as Stassi quickly began dragging her away, attempting to lose themselves in the crowd that burst into the hallway as the final bell rang.

The older girl didn't say a word or pause for anything, not even to apologize for barreling into their teammate as the blonde photographer emerged from her meeting with her History teacher two doors down. "Guys?" Rhi called out in confusion, but as Hayley turned to speak to her, an echoing of "Stassi! Hayley!" came from not twenty feet from where they'd just been, and Stassi renewed her efforts to weave through the throng of students and into the parking lot.

"What just happened?" Hayley panted as they paused behind the McKinley sign. "How did they—"

"It doesn't matter how—it's already done," Stassi interjected, checking her phone anxiously. "This is going to explode online any minute. We've got to get out of here: fast."

"Okay, where's your car?" Hayley asked, adjusting her jacket—she could come back for her stuff later, or maybe have Liam grab it for her…

"We can't stay together," The Cheerio told her. "We're better off splitting up. Just get out of here: take your bike somewhere and keep your head down for a while. This is going to get worse before it gets better."

Hayley stared at the girl in disbelief—she was about to be outted to the entire school by a freaking tabloid and the "master strategist" wanted her to hide out alone? "Sure," she retorted sarcastically. "I'll just go for a ride off of a bridge—that out of the way enough for you?"

"Be careful," the junior told her distractedly, apparently either not listening or not caring, and slipped off toward the side lot as a fresh wave of students burst through the front doors. A gust of wind suddenly cooled the sweat that had accumulated on Hayley's hand from her and Stassi's tight grasp as they raced from the room. The sophomore simply stared at it, her emotions too jumbled to react.