PREVIOUSLY: Will Schuester's return to the New Directions coincided with him to separate the team into groups. The Girls, the boys minus Puck and Mike, and Puck and Mike themselves.

Will spoke to the girls first to make sure they were fine, and then he went to the boys. The moment he stepped foot in to the Dance Studio where they were being kept, he had a flash back. Now he had to recover from that flashback.

Stay tuned.

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CHAPTER 35 - SORTING OUT ISSUES

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"William," came Emma's voice "Are you okay?"

"Mr Schue?" came Finn's voice "Are you okay?"

Will blinked "Huh?"

"Are you okay?" asked Emma

"Yes," replied Will clearing his throat

Will breathed, and walked further into the room, Kurt was smiling, so was Jake, but Blaine, Sam and Artie were looking down at the floor.

"Mr Schue," said Kurt standing up "It's very good to see you again,"

"Likewise," smiled Will

Kurt and Will shook hands, and Will then gave him a hug

"Hey Mrs Shue," smiled Kurt

"Kurt," smiled Emma back "It's good to see you again!"

Emma hugged Kurt

"Hey Mr Shue," said Jake

"Jake, it's good to see you among the group," said Will "We need an extra dancer. It benefits us."

Will hugged Jake

"Hi Mrs Shue,"

"Hi Jake," replied Emma

Emma hugged Jake. Will looked over at Blaine, Sam, and Artie who looked disgusted with themselves.

"Can everyone leave the room please?" asked Will "I want to talk to Blaine, Sam, and Artie on my own. Thanks."

"Are you sure?" asked Emma

"I'm positive," replied Will "If I need you I'll let you know, and Kurt's got a surprise waiting for him outside."

"Do I?" smiled Kurt "Sounds like fun."

Emma, Kurt, Finn, and Jake, walked towards the door, Michael stopped beside Will.

"Are you sure about this?" asked Michael

"Yes," replied Will

Michael headed for the door.

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Kurt stepped into the hallway.

"Uncle Kurt," came a voice

Sitting by a wall was Daniel.

"Daniel Schuester," smiled Kurt looking "Is that yo0u?"

"Yes," said Daniel running up and giving Kurt a hug

"Boy, you've grown," replied Kurt

"I know,"

"Kurt," said Emma walking over to the wall "I want you to meet some one."

"Okay," said Kurt still hugging Daniel.

Emma helped Joseph to his feet "Please meet Joseph."

"Hi Joseph," smiled Kurt

"Ask him what his full name is?" said Daniel

"Okay, what's your full name, Joseph?"

"Joseph Kurt Schuester," said Joseph quietly

Kurt couldn't believe his ears, "I'm sorry, but I thought you said Joseph Kurt Schuester."

"He did," laughed Daniel

"Hi Joseph," said Kurt kneeling down

"Hi Uncle Kurt," smiled Joseph feeling shy

Daniel moved away as Kurt opened his arms, and Joseph, just ran into them.

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Back in the Choir room, Will grabbed a chair from beside the wall and brought it back, and put it down in front of Blaine, Sam, and Artie. They were still looking down. Will was trying to figure out what to say.

Will breathed in and then spoke "We need to move forward, together, but in order to do that we need to be able to trust each other. So we need to be able to move on from what was said 10 years ago."

"I'm sorry for what I said 10 years ago," said Blaine "I felt really shameful for it back then, and I still feel shameful for it now."

"I do accept your apology Blaine," replied Will

"I am really sorry, too," said Sam "The moment I left the room I knew I was in the wrong."

"I accept your apology too, Sam."

Will looked at Artie, who kept his head down.

"Can you excuse us, please, guys," said Will "I'll chat to Artie alone."

Sam and Blaine got up, and left the room. Once they were gone, Will looked at Artie

"For 10 years I took on everyone's harsh comments," began Will "The first few years were the hardest. I nearly lost Emma, and the kids, because of anger towards what you guys said."

"What happened that night took my life away," started Artie "It ruined me. I was just angry the next day. I lost Tina because of it, I basically lost my entire passion for directing, my life changed. I'm still angry all these years later."

"Artie," said Will "Everyone in the New Directions brings their own unique style to the table. That's how the New Directions roll. Without everyone's uniqueness, then the New Directions are basically like every other group.

"You have that unique style, Artie, without that, and you, the New Directions cannot perform as they should. That also includes Puck and Mike. We need to find a way to trust each other again, I need to trust again. I want redemption for the lost years that the New Directions have been apart. With the help of Mr Baxter we have that redemption."

"Rachel can't even perform," said Artie "So we've basically lost her uniqueness."

"Don't worry about Rachel, that's my job. All I want from you is to learn how to forgive yourself. I forgive you."

Artie wheeled himself over to Will "I'm so sorry for what I said,"

"I know," replied Will "I forgive you."

Artie leaned into Will, and Will hugged him. Artie started crying.

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10 minutes later, Will walked out of the Dance studio. He signaled for Emma, Emma walked over.

"Can you please have a cat to Artie. He needs your expertise."

"Okay," smiled Emma

Emma walked into the dance studio, and Will closed the door.

Kurt and Blaine were sitting with Joseph, Sam was sitting with Daniel, and Finn was near Michael and Jake.

"Danny I want you and Joseph to with your Uncles, Finn, Kurt, Blaine, Sam and Jake. Guys I want you to join the girls, and help them with trying to pick a first group song. Mr Baxter lead the way to Puck and Mike.

"Sure," said Michael

"Are you sure you don't want me to come?" asked Finn

"I'm fine thanks, Finn, you lead the way like you usually do."

"Sure," smiled Finn

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Michael walked into the auditorium, and placed one chair down on the stage, and another 10 meters away, in the opposite direction. And he placed another one in the middle, but above them.

A minute later a security guard brought Mike onto the stage.

"What's going on?" asked Mike

"Take a seat please, Mr Chang,"

Mike sat down, the security guard stayed right behind him.

Another minute later, another security guard brought Puck onto the stage.

"You know how long it's been since I saw you last Mr Baxter?" asked Puck "What's Chang doing here?"

"Sit down Mr Puckerman, and I'll tell you.

Puck looked at Mike, but sat down. He security guard stood behind him.

"What happened two nights ago," started Michael "Showed me that the New Directions was not ready for me to lead. I cannot give the desired leadership as you all don't realize how much damage your history has caused you in order to move forward into the future.

"I need to also realize I can't afford to us my ego, because that doesn't help you guys out."

"So are you going to quit on us?" asked Mike

"Just because of our fight the other night?" asked Puck

"No Mr Chang I am not quitting, and no Mr Puckerman, it's not just because of your fight, it's a build up of things, which includes my ego."

"So if your not quitting, what are you doing?" asked Puck

"Taking a step back."

"Isn't that a defeatist attitude?" asked Puck

"Not in my book, Mr Puckerman, it shows me that I don't have the skills to deal with you, and your attitude."

"Then who does?"

Footsteps from the back of the stage, alerted Puck and Mike, and the looked in that direction, and from out of the shadows stepped Will.

"Mr Schue," said Puck

"Wow," said Mike

Will walked up to the spare chair and looked at Michael

"Thanks Mr Baxter, I'll take it from here."

"Are you sure?" asked Michael

"Very, and you can take your men with you."

Michael looked at the two security guards.

"I'd prefer if they stayed."

"It's okay Mr Baxter, I tust Mike and Puck not to hit each other again, isn't that right guys?"

Puck looked at Mike "Yes."

Mike nodded.

"Fine," said Michael and nodded to the two security guards

Michael left the stage with the two security guards following him. Will waited for them to exit the auditorium before turning back around.

"10 years ago, I was heart broken with you guys said," started Will "That you wished I hadn't formed the group. I held onto that for the last ten years. It almost destroyed my life. It almost ruined my marriage with Emma, but it didn't. I understand how hard it was back then for you Puck, I do, how it destroyed you. Yes it was Raven who was the cause of it, and yes Raven was Mike's girlfriend, and yes, he had to stand up for her, as anyone else would do if there were no evidence pointing to their partners, Mike was put in a difficult position.

"But that was 10 years ago, I implore you both to get through this for the sake of the team. The New Directions you, Puck, and you Mike. And you both need the New Directions. Up until yesterday I thought I didn't need anything to do with you guys but then I saw Rachel, and Finn, and I realized how much I missed everyone."

"You had your chance," said Mike "When Mr Baxter came to you the first time, but you turned him down."

"I did. It brought back a lot of memories that I had kept hidden away for years. Doing that doesn't help, talking about it helps though."

"I feel like we are in one of our infamous lectures," said Puck

Will turned to Puck "This isn't a joking matter, Puckerman."

"I didn't say it was," replied Puck "You may be able to talk about it, and find it easy, but I have to keep reliving it every single day, which is why I had to turn to thye drink to squash it down. I lost Quinn that way."

"You lost so many others that way," said Will "Why did you take up Mr Baxter's offer of getting sent to rehab?"

"Because I needed to stop. But the memories still haunt me so very much."

"The only way to get through that is to talk about it, I know it hurts to talk but that's what you need to do. It's better than the alternative!"

"What's that? Fighting?" asked Puck looking at Mike

"No," replied Will "Death! Do you want to die early Puck?"

Puck looked down "No, not really."

"Then you need to start opening up in your counseling sessions Puck. I want you to be here for the whole year, and years to come. We all need you Puck."

"Okay, I get the big picture, Mr Schue."

Mike suddenly got up from his chair, and walked over to Puck. Puck stood up and stared at Mike. Will slowly stood up. Tears slowly rolled down Mike's face.

"I'm really deeply sorry for what Raven did to you, Noah!" started Mike "I'm also really deeply sorry for not believing in you. I can't imagine how it must be for you bring up memories of what Raven did to you, of what she took away from you. What she stole from you. I am so sorry, that you are continually in pain. I am also saddened that you can't forgive me, I do understand but I am also saddened that you can't. You, me, Finn and Sam were strong together. I blew that. I know you can't forgive me, but please accept my apologies, that's all I want from you."

"I think that's a reasonable enough request," said Will quietly "Don't you Noah?"

Puck continued to look at Mike

"If you can't accept his apologies Noah, then I'll have no other choice but to let you go."

Puck looked at Will "That's a bluff, you're bluffing. Mr Baxter has bluffed twice now."

"No Noah, I am not bluffing. We need you, the New Directions need you, and you need the New Directions but we don't need your attitude or anger, it'll drag us backwards."

"So you'll let me go alone, you'll abandon me?"

"I won't be the one to abandon you, Noah, you, by yourself, will. You need to check your ego. We all need to check our egos."

Puck looked angrily at Mike and then at Will.

"This is you chance to leave," continued Will "But if you want to stay, no more anger, no more fighting, talk it through with your counselor,. Keep working at it, but we need your skills, is the bottom line."

Puck contemplated for a moment that maybe he should leave for the sake of the team. Maybe they were better off without him.

"Please Noah, don't you go," said Mike "You are loved by this team, they all want to support you, I want to support you, if you'd let me."

Puck looked at Mike, and then at Will

"I'll try my best to keep my anger in check,"

"I need you to do better than try," said Will

"I'll work with my counselor,"

"And Emma,"

"Is she here too?"

"Yes."

"Very well," replied Puck "I'll work with Emma too."

Puck turned to Mike "I will work on forgiving you. But for now, I can accept your apologies."

Puck held out his hand, and Mike took it, and they shook hands.

"At least that's a start," smiled Will "We can now start moving forwards again. I think we should get back to the choir room, and join everyone there."

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So for now, everything is calm, but how long will Puck stay calm for. He still has to find out about him remembering that he slept with Tina, and then surely then, Tina needs to tell him about the baby. But for now everything is calm. What will happen next?

Stay tuned.