This is a shift day [see above]. There was another upload this morning: Step Thirty-Seven, Compare and Contrast.

"A Dish Best Served Cold"

14. Fourteenth

After they had watched the four run through the doors in such a hurry, it was hard for the people outside to do anything but stand by and wait, their breaths held, hearts drumming... The unmistakable sound of a gunshot had sent them reeling, and there was a further intake of breath.

But then two minutes went by and suddenly there they came, out the door, down the stairs, down the ramp... Thirteen hostages now free, and there was a collective breath released and cheers called out.

The families were allowed through, and now the kids dispersed from their pack. Arms opened wide to welcome them, and none of them were about to let go for some time. To the ones who had gone in when they had already been out, the greeting involved assurances that they were okay, followed by scolding for their actions. For Carole though it couldn't last very long, seeing that now Kurt was alright.

Santana had tuned out as her mother continued to unload in a rapid fire of Spanish about how stupid it had been to go inside. She knew she was just upset and relieved and all that, so she was just going to have to let her unload. Still as she kept hearing why, why, why, her eyes would go to the blonde, just nearby, enveloped in her grandfather's arms. All around them, their friends would cling to their parents, but then they would return to boyfriends, girlfriends, hug them, kiss them... Hers was right there, her girlfriend she had put her life on the line for... and she couldn't do much more than that hug. At least they were alive though... she couldn't ask much more than that. There would be time for the rest later.

Once he had been released by his father, Kurt had wasted no time seeking out Blaine. He spotted him, a few paces away. He looked like he had been waiting, ever respectful in light of the reunion happening with the families, even though inside all he wanted was to rush over there. Now that their eyes had met, all it took was a smile and they were cutting through the crowds to find one another. They embraced with no mind to breath.

"I wasn't too long, was I?" Kurt hoped no one would see him weeping.

"Well I was getting just a bit impatient," Blaine played along, just as emotional.

"Won't let it happen again," he closed his eyes, pulling back to look at him. "I'm just glad you're okay," he wiped at his eyes, trying not to let him see, but Blaine made him look back up.

"And I'm so glad you are, too," he smiled, leaning in to kiss him.

X

New York City

Martha had gone about making them dinner. She had wanted to order some takeout, but Alexis looked to the phones with such concentration that taking either of them, even for a couple of minutes, would have been impossible. So she had ventured into the kitchen.

The home phone rang, and Alexis hurried to answer. "Dad?"

"No..." the girl's voice caught her by surprise, blessed surprised, and she sat bolt upright.

"Brittany?" she smiled, as there was a clatter in the kitchen and she looked to find her grandmother staring at her. Alexis nodded, motioning for her to come over.

"Your dad told me you were waiting," Brittany told her.

"Yeah, I was," she was overjoyed to hear her friend. "Is everyone alright?"

"We all got out, but the piano got shot. They caught the guy."

"That's good, that's so good. I'm sorry I couldn't be there, you know?"

"I know. But your dad said he would stick around and you and your grandmother should come down to Lima to see us." Alexis blinked, looking to Martha.

"We'll see you soon," she smiled.

X

Lima, Ohio

They had taken Matheson out the back, not wanting to parade him out into the crowd of students, faculty, families, reporters, and onlookers. They would drive him in to Lima PD until they decided how to return him to New York. Castle had stayed at the school with Ryan to close things out. So Beckett and Esposito now sat facing the man.

He looked different from the one they had known in New York, polished, sort of sheepish. Nowadays Matheson looked like incarceration had scrubbed away all pretenses, revealing him for the danger he was.

"Mr. Matheson, do you understand the new charges about to be leveled against you?" Beckett asked him. He still looked distracted, now more than ever. "Mr. Matheson..."

"Should have killed me when you had the chance. I'm never going to let this go. Somehow, I'll get them. I swear."

"Yeah, just keep talking, you're making our case for us," Esposito chuckled. There was no way he was getting out again anytime soon.

X

Will would wait as his students were reunited with their families, but he was so very anxious to get to talk to them. Whenever one would detach from their loved ones and come to him, it was them who held out their arms to hug him, and he didn't deny them. Sugar was right there as well, not passing up on her own hug. Before long, all fifteen were there, even Lauren who wasn't part of the club anymore. If she ever had thoughts of rejoining them, he didn't know this would tip her choice into a yes.

"I'm sorry I wasn't there to keep you safe from him," Will shook his head, showing the fear he'd had for his kids throughout the day.

"You helped get us out," Finn wouldn't let him blame himself for this, and neither would the others.

"Yeah, what he said," Santana smiled, and Will slowly nodded, doing his best to accept this.

"Are you going to be alright though? To go back in there?" he asked, and they looked back to the school.

X

When all was said and done, the crowd gone, the club had asked to return to the choir room. They would be joined by Beckett, Castle, Ryan and Esposito. The kids had gone in first, taking it slow.

They had been in that room since early that morning, trapped in it, but now coming back to it they saw it for the site of their siege. The chairs in disarray, the wrappers and empty bottles from the cafeteria loot, their bags, their phones... and of course the hole in the piano. It was still their choir room though. It was the place they came to, where they were a family.

"It's crazy... if it had been any other room, things might not have ended up the way they did," Rachel remarked, and it returned a small, tentative smile on her face, like the room had saved them. This did soothe those of them who remained weary.

"So this is where the magic happens," Castle intoned, further trying - and succeeding - to make them smile.

"This is where the music happens," Brittany corrected, unaware, and Castle smiled to her, by her side.

"I like that," he pointed at her and she beamed.

"I wouldn't keep him here too long," Beckett smirked. "He might break into song." He got that look in his eye then, like an idea. "Not the time, Castle."

"Right," he bowed his head.

"There'll be time for songs," Quinn got the last word of it. "Thanks to you, all of you. Thank you for not forgetting us."

THE END

A/N: There will be a one-shot tag to this story in late July (I want to say the 22nd but don't quote me on that ;))