A.N: I suck. I am aware of this. I just… Glee has really brought me down the last couple of episodes and I haven't been able to write without getting pissed. I'm trying to plug along and I will do my absolute best to continue this at a reasonable pace.

A.N2: I will be posting another story, with possible pre-faberry and definite Kurtchel friendship. It will be in under Kurt/Rachel. Just so's you know.

Happy Birthday! … Wait that isn't right. Happy Holidays to one and all!

Thursday April 8, 2010

4:35 P.M.

The kids waited until everyone had arrived in the Carmel parking lot before they made their way towards the auditorium. Santana and Puck were both steaming mad and Quinn should have felt guilty about the fact that the Latina and the formerly mohawked boy drove to Carmel together. Brittany had been with them but even the tall blonde looked pissed that Rachel had been egged and that Kurt with a capital G had been hurt. Puck, who despite his assertion that Rachel and him were not friends, was protective of his fellow Jew and now that Santana knew that Quinn loved Rachel the Latina was of the mind that an attack on Rachel was like a personal attack on her. No one fucked with Santana Lopez or the little midget her friend loved.

Santana had been sending texts the whole ride over to all the club members, fanning their anger and assuring that they were even more pissed when they arrived at Carmel then they had been when they left McKinley. It did not bode well for Jesse. Rachel had been ushered into Tina's car with Mercedes, Matt, and Artie. Half-way into the thirty minute drive Quinn had received a text from Mercedes,

Rachel's starting to bruise. Matt is ready to bust someone's head.

Quinn had clenched her jaw and informed Kurt, Finn, and Mike about the new development and then she had texted Santana. The Latina had not replied but the moment Puck's truck had screeched in the two self-proclaimed bad asses had made a beeline for Rachel and confirmed Quinn's text. If possible Puck looked more murderous than he had before. Quinn herself was doing her best to reign in her temper as she ran a thumb over the bruise on Rachel's arm. The bruise itself was distinctly egg shaped. The group hadn't formed a plan and if Puck had his way they would burn down Carmel. As Quinn considered the bruising on Rachel she conceded that the idea was not unattractive.

As the group came to a stop outside the Carmel Auditorium Rachel's small voice stopped the group, "Do you all think… Do you think my mom let this happen? Do you think she knew?"

Everyone opened their mouths to deny the idea but no one could say for sure. Quinn wanted to assure Rachel that Shelby wouldn't have allowed her kids to attack Rachel but then again this was the mother of the girl who was cut throat enough to send a rival to a crack house so…

Quietly Quinn replied, "I don't know Rachel… I hope not."

Rachel's eyes watered and after shaking her head sadly the little diva reached out and took Kurt's hand, "For the record Kurt, I'm sorry I encouraged you to date Jesse."

Kurt squeezed the little Diva's hand, "I made a choice Rachel. I'm hurt that Jesse didn't talk to me but I understand wanting to get out of Ohio. I'm more pissed that they egged you."

"And I more upset about Jesse…" The little Diva cocked her head.

Kurt shrugged, "I guess that's kind of natural."

Puck growled, "As much as I'm not enjoying this Oprah moment can we go inside so I can break someone's face?"

Rachel nodded and made to open the double doors just as Santana snarked, "You know who Oprah is? Careful Puckerman, I can see your lady parts."

"Shut up Santana."

The members of New Directions streamed into the Carmel Auditorium and marched down the aisle with purpose.

Shelby Corcoran turned just as the group started to climb the steps onto her stage. The Vocal Adrenaline kids paused in their number to watch, some looked smug, some looked nervous, and still others looked confused.

Jesse stepped past his coach, "Guys please don't make a scene…"

He got too close to Puck. The larger boy snarled and shoved Jesse away from his team.

Shelby snapped, "Hey! You all are not going to come in here and-"

Puck ignored her and snarled at Jesse, "Who the hell do you think you are? Coming to our house and doing what you did?"

Mercedes took over in full diva glory, "We were nice to you! We accepted you! And you do what you did to Kurt and then today?"

Santana took an aggressive step forward, "I have a real problem with what you did to Glitter and the Hobbit."

Jesse scrambled back, "Guys it wasn't personal. I had-"

Kurt's face flushed red, "Not personal? It felt pretty damn personal when you were stomping all over my heart and then what you did-"

Jesse's voice was quiet, "Kurt..."

"Why are you groveling to those losers, St. James? The little bitch got what was coming to her and if you need another girlfriend there are plenty of boys here." The same girl that had insulted the kids at McKinley spoke up.

Santana snarled, "That's it! I am going to put my foot up your ass!"

The girl sneered, "You McKinley kids are kinky freaks!"

Jesse snapped, "Andrea!" Just as Santana lunged.

Shelby caught the Latina before she got past, "Ok that is enough!"

Santana spit out, "You are a sorry excuse for a mother! You should be beating these kids blue!"

Shelby tensed, "What?"

The Vocal Adrenaline kids grew quiet.

Quinn stepped forward with Rachel just behind her, "They egged her, Ms. Corcoran."

Shelby looked at Rachel who nodded in confirmation.

Santana wrenched away from Shelby, "She's a vegan."

Shelby turned to scowl at her kids, "Is this true?"

Andrea spoke before Jesse could, "They're lying. They have no proof and they're using the fact that you are her mom as ammunition." The bitchy girl had stepped forward, right into Quinn's reach.

The pregnant teen delivered a powerful swing right into the other girl's arm.

The girl shrieked and leapt away from Quinn.

Shelby was beside herself, "Quinn!"

Quinn stared impassively, "There. Now the bitch's arm matches Rachel's."

Shelby stilled, "I beg your pardon?"

Rachel sniffed, "I bruise easily."

Shelby reached out a hand, "Come on baby." She led Rachel away from the group but not before snarling, "Do not attack each other. I mean it. Quinn. Jesse. I am counting on you both here."

Quinn crossed her arms, "We'll sheath our claws… for now."

Jesse replied quickly, "Us too."

Shelby drew Rachel out of earshot and the two teams watched as the little diva pulled the shoulder of her shirt down. Shelby's hand came out and stopped just shy of the little brunette's shoulder.

Rachel said something and Shelby's face morphed into a horrified visage. A moment later the two songbirds were speaking back and forth and it was easy to see that they were mother and daughter. Their mannerisms were the same as they spoke back and forth.

Finally Rachel seemed to sag and then she threw herself into Shelby's arms. The taller woman embraced her daughter for a long minute and then the two brunettes turned back to the two teams.

Rachel made her way back to Quinn's side and whispered, "It was not sanctioned by my mom."

Some of the tension in Quinn's shoulders bled away, "I'm glad Rachel."

Shelby turned on her kids so fast some were liable to have whiplash, "I have never been this angry before in my life. Messing with the competition is normal. Assaulting my kid is not!"

Andrea snarled back, "They don't have proof! How do you know that they didn't take turns hitting her so that she'd have bruises?"

Shelby opened her mouth to reply but was beat to it by Finn of all people, "The parking lot has video cameras."

Shelby nodded and scowled, "Even without video cameras I believe Rachel. I don't think she'd lie about this and I know you all are more than capable. Now…" She pinched her nose, "You all have two choices. You can either come forward and keep your place on the team and face the consequences or Rachel can point you out in which case I will boot you off the team."

One of the Vocal Adrenaline kids piped up, "What's to stop her from pointing the finger at all of us?"

Shelby snapped back, "Rachel has an eidetic memory and I trust her word."

Andrea crossed her arms and replied belligerently, "This is such a load of crap. The whole team is going to be punished because sixteen years ago you made the mistake of popping out a kid."

Shelby was nearly shaking, "I… Turn in your Range Rover keys. You are off the team."

Andrea's mouth dropped open, "Mi…"

"Get off my stage." Shelby's voice was hard and cold.

The girl seemed to deflate slightly as she moved past Shelby. She miscalculated when she shouldered roughly past Rachel.

Before even Quinn could react Mercedes had reached out and grabbed a hold of Andrea's hair, "Rachel's mom said to get off the stage and if you touch Rachel again I will throw you off." Andrea must have seen something in Mercedes' eyes because she finally looked cowed.

The girl fled the stage with one last dark look at Rachel and New Directions.

Shelby waited until Andrea had left the Auditorium before turning the remainder of her team, "Now I want all of you to form a line in front of me."

The Vocal Adrenaline kids moved reluctantly to stand in front of Shelby.

When the last kid had filed in Shelby barked, "Now I want those of you who participated in the assault on Rachel to step forward."

Jesse was the first to step forward.

He threw back his shoulders, lifted his chin, and spoke directly to Rachel and Kurt "For what it's worth Rachel I'm sorry and Kurt… I never meant to hurt you. I just… I need that scholarship. I need Vocal Adrenaline."

Kurt muttered bitterly, "More than you need me. I get it."

Another boy stepped forward and hung his head and then a girl. One by one the kids stepped forwarded until a little fewer than half the club stood apart from the rest of the club.

Shelby turned to Rachel, "Is that all of them sweetie?"

Rachel examined the faces and then closed her eyes before taking in the faces again.

Finally she nodded, "That's all of them. We're going to go now so that you can yell at them."

Shelby reached out a hand brushed Rachel's hair back, "Thank you sweetie, can I call you in the next couple of days?"

Rachel beamed at her mom, "I would really like that."

New Directions left the Carmel Auditorium the way they had come in, as a team.

Friday April 16, 2010

3:06 P.M.

"See you punks at Regionals." Puck fired off as he swaggered off the stage.

Kurt smiled at him, "You just had to get one last word in didn't you?"

Puck smirked, "Damn straight. Those butt monkeys are lucky I didn't set them all on fire for egging Rachel… and you know for crapping all over your heart."

Kurt ducked his head, "Thanks Puck."

"Kurt?" Kurt spun away from Puck and sucked in a breath. Jesse had followed them back stage.

Puck drew himself to his full height which was considerably larger than Jesse and glowered down at the boy, "Get out of here St. James."

Kurt was surprised that Puck hadn't used a creative nickname for Jesse but he supposed his teammate was dead serious and wanted it to show, "Puck's right Jesse. You need to go."

Jesse took a deep breath and ignored Puck, "I just wanted to explain why…"

Kurt snapped, "I know why! Ok? I get it. You want out of Ohio and you did what you had to. What I don't understand is why you had to egg Rachel or why you had to start dating me. You didn't have to hurt us to boost your shot at Regionals; just leaving would have done that because our set list was hinged on having you and Rachel. So I want to know why you had to hurt us. Attacking Rachel? That wasn't ok. And hurting me? Making my first boyfriend into a painful memory? Not ok Jesse."

Jesse winced and seemed to shrink after every point Kurt made until finally, "I… I am so sorry Kurt. I know there isn't anything else I can say except that I regret what I did. I like you, so much. And I loved this team and I'm sorry. I was hoping…" He trailed off.

Kurt narrowed his eyes, "Hoping what?"

Jesse stepped forward and asked quietly, "I was hoping that I could keep in contact with you? Once I went away to school. I'd love the chance to be your friend."

Kurt was quiet for a moment and then, "I… I have your e-mail address Jesse. I will contact you, on my own terms."

Jesse drooped but nodded, "Ok Kurt. Can I hug you? One more time?"

Kurt turned his head away and he met Puck's eyes. The badass looked surprisingly sympathetic before he crossed his arms and turned around. Kurt blinked away the tears that came to his eyes and faced Jesse one last time. Slowly he opened his arms and stepped forward. The Vocal Adrenaline lead slipped into his embrace and held him tightly.

Jesse whispered into the smaller boy's hair, "I'll miss you…"

After a long minute Kurt drew back, "Good luck at school Jesse." Kurt moved completely out of Jesse's embrace and stopped next to Puck. The male soprano touched Puck's arm and nodded. The two boys walked away.

"Don't look back Glitter." Kurt's stepped had faltered slightly and Puck had spoken.

Kurt cocked his head to look up at Puck and then squared his shoulders, "I won't." The fair haired boy ran a hand through his hair and added a slight skip to his step.

Puck smirked in approval, "Very badass Hummel."

Kurt grinned up at him, "Thank you Puck. Next stop, Regionals."

"Damn straight."

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