The Fall The Rise The Worlds of the New Directions

by David McKay

It's been 10 years since the New Directions were all together. Now they have all split up including the couples. Some incident forced them to break apart. None of them have talked or see each other. They have all disappeared across America. Now when a Professional World Competition of Glee Clubs is announced, someone wants them to get back together. But will they?

2. Chapter 2

Previously: The New Directions are no more, something has happened to force them apart, and relationships have been broken. They have not been together for 10 years.

A wealthy American family who love the world of Show Choirs, decide to go one step further and create a Professional Glee Show Choir Competition that involves taking it to the world. They start spreading it through television advertisements and also have a television interview that they conduct. Their family name; The Baxters.

The youngest Baxter Brother, Michael, is a lover of the New Directions. After getting harassed by an older brother that the New Directions are no longer relevant or successful or even together, Michael decides to make a bet. He wants to get the New Directions back together. His older brother wants to compete against him with his own Glee Club and want them to compete against one another at the Worlds. For bragging rights.

Will Michael Baxter find all of the New Directions? Will they even accept his invitation? Or will they decide to turn it down.

Find out in the continuation of: The Fall The Rise The Worlds of the New Directions.

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PART 2 - FINDING DIRECTIONS

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It has now been a month since Michael Baxter made his bet with his brother Rick, and Michael has been hard out work. He had to pay for the best Private Detectives in the country to go out and find the whereabouts of most of the New Directions. He also had to sit down with a bunch of lawyers loaned to him by his eldest brother Jack, so he could draw up contracts to entice the New Directions back.

He had grown up watching the New Directions. He saw their last National win. He read about that McKinley High in Lima, Ohio had been renamed the McKinley High of Performing Arts, and Will Schuester who had been the New Directions coach, had taken over as Principle. A few of the former New Directions had become teachers there.

That was until an incident tore the New Directions apart. There was nothing in the press about it, and Michael could not find anything about what the incident was. But he had tried finding information using money, but that didn't work.

In the end he watched his beloved team fall to the ashes. Even Principle Schuester resigned from his post. The marriages of the New Directions Santana Lopez, and Brittany S Pierce, and Kurt Hummel, and Blaine Anderson-Hummel had broken up and those couples had gone their own way and disappeared.

Even the glamour couple the big Broadway star Rachel Berry and her fiancee Finn Hudson had broken up. Rachel had disappeared from Broadway and from sight all together, which was funny Michael thought because she loved being in the spot light. Finn Hudson was still living in Lima, Ohio. And so was Noah Puckerman. But their paths hadn't crossed for 10 years. Michael was planning to start with them two.

He knew time was running out. One month was one month too many to be trying to find people, because it had broken into the 6 month time frame to compete at Sectionals. Surely the New Directions would be ready to go by then, because going on past performances, they were best at little time frame they had to practice. Take their first year for instance. Their set list for Sectionals were stolen by their rival Glee Club opponents courtesy of the infamous Sue Sylvester. They had to make changes within minutes, and if it wasn't for Finn Hudson showing up, after already declaring he had quit over finding out that Quinn's baby wasn't his but his best friends, then they would surely had of lost. They just managed to win that Sectionals.

And again in their second year, when they went to Nationals for the first time, they made their own songs up just within a few hours of arriving there. Although they didn't place courtesy of Finn Hudson kissing his girlfriend at the time Rachel Berry on stage of all times, they still had some great songs.

So Michael wasn't worried, yet, about the time frame they had for hitting Sectionals. He was just worried about trying to find every single member of the group. Because if they came together, and actually went for it, he could guarantee they would win the Worlds. But that was in the future, he had to worry about the present.

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LIMA, OHIO

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Michael arrived in Lima, Ohio, and headed straight for the Hummel Car Shop. It was a big business now. Courtesy of Burt Hummel, who had been a Congressman fighting for the rights of the Arts. He was back having had enough of politics for the time being, and running the business. It had grown into a big time garage business. Burt had over 50 mechanics working for him, and the place had a good name for itself.

He got out of his big SUV, that he hired at the airport, and walked into the Waiting Room. He walked over to the office, and looked inside. Burt Hummel was working on some paperwork.

"Excuse me, Mr Hummel,"

Burt looked up. "Oh hello there, what can I do for you today?"

"I'm here to see your step-son Finn Hudson, if that's possible."

Burt looked Michael up and down. His suit gave him away, and he was holding a briefcase.

"Why what's he done? Are you a lawyer?"

"No nothing like that," smiled Michael "Let's just say I am a huge fan of his."

"Really," laughed Burt "He's only been working here for 10 years. I've never seen you around here, so I don't think he's worked on any of your cars."

"Lets also just say I love my history, you're step son was very good in the New Directions."

"That was ten years ago Mr?"

"Baxter, Michael Baxter."

"Baxter where have I heard that name from?" asked Burt thinking hard

"From Jack Baxter Incorporated maybe? He owns 15 percent of the American car industry among other things. He's my brother. Big brother."

"That's right. I dealt with one of his people a few years ago, he wanted to take this place over, and I told him I wasn't selling."

"That would be Jack for you," smiled Michael

"He was persistent that brother of yours, he wouldn't take no for an answer, in the end I had to call in some Washington favors to get him off of my back."

"Well I guess that's between you and him then Mr Hummel," smiled Michael "I'm not party to what my brother does with his side of the business, sorry. Like I said I'm here to see Mr. Hudson."

"Hmm Hmm," said Burt shaking his head "Wait a second."

Burt pushed a button on the intercom "Finn Hudson, can you please come to the office. Finn Hudson to the office please."

"Is there a place where I can talk to Mr Hudson in private?" asked Michael looking around

"Yes, if you must, my office is right in there," said Burt pointing to a side room

"I'm not here to make life difficult for your step-son Mr Hummel, you can rest easy."

"I don't know about that."

Next second the door from the work shop opened, and in stepped the giant that was Finn Hudson. He had grease all over his face. But Michael could tell it was Finn.

"Yes Burt?" asked Finn walking over

"This gentleman here, Finn is, Mr Michael Baxter. He wants to talk to you in private. You don't have to, I can be in there if you want me to?"

Finn looked over at Michael, and looked him up and down, and wasn't sure what to make of this guy dressed in a suit.

"Ummm, nah it's okay Burt, I think I can handle this."

"Okay, you can use my office,"

"Righto," replied Finn "This way Mr Baxter is it?"

Michael nodded. He couldn't talk. He was in the presence of Show Choir Royalty in his humble opinion.

Finn led Michael into Burt's office, and shut the door. He held out his hand, but discovered it was all dirty in grease and tried to wipe it on his coveralls.

"Finn Hudson..." Michael finally let out some words "It's a pleasure to meet you."

"Okay," replied Finn looking at him strangely "I don't know why you think it is a pleasure, I've never met you before."

"But I've seen you before tonnes of times," said Michael sitting down on Burt's chair and putting his briefcase.

"This is weird," said Finn out loud "Where have you seen me before?"

"Performing for the New Directions."

Suddenly to Finn this didn't sound too good. He had a bad feeling about this.

"That was like 10 years ago,"

"Yea I was just a teenager back then, growing up watching Glee Show Choirs. I've got a whole lot of the New Directions performances on DVD. I think I'm your biggest fan."

"If you're here to talk business about cars and stuff like that I'm interested," said Finn "But if you're hear to reminiscence about the good old days of the New Directions I'm definitely not interested and this meeting is over right now."

Finn was sincere about that too. It sounded like he was still in a lot of pain about what happened 10 years ago, and rather forget it. This looked like it was going to be harder than Michael thought.

"Look I'm sorry Mr. Hudson," Michael thought quickly "I didn't realize New Directions was a sore point."

"It's not but it is," replied Finn not knowing really what to say

"So this isn't really about the New Directions. I want to ask you if you have seen any advertisements or anything about the upcoming World Championship of Glee Clubs competition?"

"Nope," said Finn rather directly "Don't have time, I work here til late, go home, and have tea, then off to bed, and to sleep. Then I get up and do the same thing the next day, and the next day and the next day after that."

Gee what a boring life, Michael thought to himself. Finn Hudson deserved way better than that.

"Well my family is one of the richest families in the world, and we love Show Choir, and we have put together a World Championship of Glee Clubs where Glee Clubs from all around the world perform for a right to get to the World Championship where if they win they could call themselves World Champions. It's a professionally run competition. Where you start with Sectionals, then Regionals, and then Nationals, and then you go on to fight for a World spot at the Hemisphere competition."

"Sounds like fun for those who love to sing show choir," replied Finn

"But you did back in your day,"

"That was a long time ago like I said," said Finn "What do you want with me?"

"I'm putting together a group, the best of the best, and I want you to be in it, Mr Hudson. I want you to lead it."

"No thank you, not interested," said Finn shaking his head

"Why not?" asked Michael

"Because I haven't sung for over 10 years, and I'm no longer a leader. I'm a follower."

"Well then be a follower I can live with that. I'll just find someone else to be the leader."

Finn thought for a moment. Michael had to act fast. Someone who was thinking meant that they were actually thinking instead of reacting, and if he could just get in there that no he got before would be turned into a yes, he had learnt that off of his brother Jack. Lucky Burt wasn't part of this meeting, otherwise it would have been over when Finn had said no.

"What if I say I can offer you a contract worth a lot of money just by being in the group," said Michael opening his briefcase

Finn sat there. All he wanted to do was say no. Those days were long gone for him. There were painful memories of the break up of the New Directions and his relationship with Rachel, the girl he loved so much. He still loved her to this day. But he had to do what he had to do. But the money sounded good.

"How much money?" asked Finn after a few minutes of thinking

"Each member will sign a contract worth one million dollars. You get $100,000 from the moment you sign the contract, then you get an additional $900,000 when you come to the meeting of the new group that I'm putting together so you can meet everyone."

"A million dollars per person?" asked Finn wolf whistling "How many people are you looking at getting for the group?"

"At least 12. Maybe a bit more. We'll see."

"That's at least $12 million, can you afford that?"

"Like I said my family is one of the richest families in America and the World."

Finn sat there for a second, Michael pulled out the contract and placed it in front of Finn.

"All I need is your signature and you'll have $100,000 within your bank in minutes."

"How do you know my bank account?" asked Finn reading the contract and seeing his bank account there

"Like I said Mr Hudson, I'm part of a family who is one of the richest in America and the World. We don't sit back and wait for stuff to happen. If we want something, we get it. I want you. You mean a big part to this group."

"Like I said Mr Baxter," said Finn still reading the contract "I haven't sung in over 10 years, so If you've done your homework you'll know that. So I don't know why you want someone who is rusty."

"You maybe rusty Mr Hudson," said Michael "But you have a lot of swag. Which you can use to pick the music instantly up by the time you come to Dallas, Texas for a meeting of the club."

"Why Dallas?"

"That's where I live. That's where I want the first meeting to be held."

"Is it going to be based in Texas?"

"Not sure yet, but like I said I want the initial meeting to be there."

"Gee I dunno," said Finn looking at the pen on the desk "I'm like a rusty bucket. I'm fine working here."

"You're maybe a rusty old bucket Mr Hudson, but what you don't have is the money that you need, that you can get just by turning up for the club and performing."

Finn thought about that for a moment. Burt paid him well. But it was enough to get by. And what he missed was the performing side of things. And this place at the end of the day wasn't really him. It did him well for 10 years. And the chance to earn $1 Million dollars just for turning up and performing was something he couldn't really refuse, even though his gut was telling him to refuse it. He could set himself up with that $1 Million.

Michael was thinking how much more do I have to throw at him, and was just about to open his mouth, when Finn picked up the pen, and signed the contract. Michael smiled and sent a text.

"I'll do it," said Finn signing the contract "Only because of the $1 Million."

"Of course," replied Michael

"But if we don't make it past Sectionals or Regionals or Nationals, I'm gone, I'm done. No more."

"Wouldn't have it any other way," replied Michael grabbing the contract and placing it in his briefcase, and taking out a card.

"Here's the date, the venue, and the time we'll be having that first meeting. It'll be next month. I just need time to get the other people on board."

"So I was the first?" asked Finn

"Of course," replied Michael "Like I said in my eyes you were the best of the New Directions because of your leadership style. I need someone like you in order for my group to perform even though as you say you don't want to lead."

"Okay," said Finn thinking

"Well I have to go," replied Michael getting up "Check you're account. The $100,000 should be in there by now."

"Cool," replied Finn "Just one more thing?"

Michael got to the door. "Fire away."

"If I'm the first one you've signed, tell me, you aren't bringing back the whole of the New Directions?"

Michael stopped dead in his tracks. Finn was really smart. He thought he could get around all this.

By Michael stopping at the door, and not saying a word, Finn knew he had correctly guessed what was happening.

"What if I said no?" asked Michael quietly

"I'm stupid Mr. Baxter," started Finn "But I'm not that stupid. You may be able to fool the others into signing away and lying about reforming the New Directions if they actually ask that question, which some wouldn't, and others may just think it, but as you said I'm their leader, so I know what is happening all the time."

Michael turned around. "You can't back out now, you signed a contract."

"I know that too," said Finn "And I didn't say I was backing out. Because knowing you, and I've only just met you, you'll probably have a clause to say if we were to quit, we couldn't then we'd have to pay more than double back, and people wouldn't be able to afford that."

Man this kid was good, thought Michael. Jack would have loved to have him on his staff. He knew he wasn't a kid any more. But Finn was still Finn. That goofy kind of person who always had his head stuck on, and protecting his team from anything that was thrown at them.

"Then why did you sign if you figured all that out?" asked Michael

"Because I need the money. I can't do this for the rest of my life, and if it means a whole year competing so be it."

"And there's obviously pain there in regards to what happened with the New Directions, that would have been hard even to sign for."

"I'll deal with the pain."

"Are you sure?"

"Of course I'm sure. Are you going to find Rachel and convince her too?"

"Do you want me to?"

"I asked you the question first!"

"I want to, she was a part of the New Directions," said Michael

"Then good luck," replied Finn "Firstly finding her, and then trying to persuade her to come on board. Because the Rachel that I know now, won't be that easy. Even if it was for a $1 Million. Not that I've talked to her for ten years. But I've heard stuff through the grape vine."

"You leave Rachel for me," said Michael turning back to the door "And you leave the others to me too. You just concentrate on your work for now, and then meeting me in Dallas, next month."

"Right," smiled Finn "See you then."

Michael walked out of Burt's office, Burt was still in the visitor office sitting watching his office door.

"See you later," smiled Burt

"That boy of yours is a real smart cookie," replied Michael on his way out

"Oh I know that," laughed Burt "Did you sign him up for what ever you are signing him up for?"

"You'd have to ask him that?" replied Michael heading out of the office

"Well I'll take that as a yes," yelled Burt after Michael "Well done."

"Thanks," yelled back Michael as he left the building

Finn walked out of the office.

"Are you okay my boy?" asked Burt

"I'm fine..." replied Finn

"Do you really have to go back into that sort of world?" asked Burt regarding the show choir

"I need to face my ghosts," replied Finn "That's all I can do."

"I hope you know what you're getting yourself in to?"

"Yea," said Finn nodding "Plenty of pain."

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So Michael Baxter has signed Finn up, and because Finn knowing what Michael was up to, does that throw a spanner in the works for Michael, or will he have to work around that? And what is the pain that Finn is talking about? And why is it so hard for the New Directions to be back together? Only time will tell. And what about Puck? Because he's up next. Stay tuned.