Hey everyone. So, this begins an arc I'm not happy with - Rachel inviting Brody to move in. I thought it was very spur of the moment, but maybe that was my bias. (I hate Brody and Jesse so much...) Neither Finn nor Rachel had a big part in this episode, but I did give them a moment. Enjoy and review if I should keep going.

Chapter 81: Sadie Hawkins

Rachel heard a knock on the apartment door. Since Kurt was at Vogue, she wondered who it could be. When she went to the door, she saw Brody on the other side. Crap. Brody. The guy she'd kissed and sort of started dating before he went back to Montana for the holidays and she went on the cruise with her dads.

"Hi," Rachel said, letting Brody in.

"I missed you when you were gone," Brody said, kissing Rachel.

What was Rachel supposed to say? The truth was, she'd barely even thought about Brody. What would he think of the fact that she and Finn had skyped almost every day and she'd never even called him? "Yeah, me too."

"So, how was the cruise?" Brody asked.

"The cruise was good," Rachel said. "I had a nice time."

"Well, that's good," Brody said. "So, I told my parents about you."

"What did they say?" Rachel asked.

"They already think you sound like a good girlfriend," Brody said.

Girlfriend? Brody had told his parents that Rachel was his girlfriend? She didn't want to put any labels on this. She missed Finn too much. Luckily, Rachel's phone started ringing. She looked at the caller ID and saw that it was Tina. Good. This would be a nice distraction. "Hang on." Rachel picked up the phone. "Hey Tina!"

"Hey Rachel," Tina said. "Guess what."

"What?" Rachel asked.

"My proposal of a Sadie Hawkins dance at McKinley was approved!" Tina declared.

"Wow, that's awesome," Rachel said. She would have liked if there'd been one of those when she was at McKinley.

"I was actually calling you for advice," Tina said. "I need the perfect song to ask the person I want to take with."

"Oh!" Rachel said. "Who do you want to take?" She hoped it wasn't Finn.

"Blaine," Tina said.

"Blaine?" Rachel asked. Tina had known Blaine for three years now. Didn't she know that Blaine was - gay?

"Yeah," Tina swooned. "He's so dreamy, Rachel. He's so much fun to be around and he's so nice and he's just... so freaking hot. Have you seen his ass?"

Well, yes, Rachel had seen Blaine's ass. But she didn't know if Blaine would want to go to the dance with Tina. He was still missing Kurt... and he'd told Rachel he was gay after they dated briefly.

Tina interrupted Rachel's thoughts. "You have a song for everything. I'm sure there were songs you sang when you wanted Finn."

Well, yes, there were. There still were plenty of them. Rachel tried to think of a song she sang when she was first dealing with her feelings for Finn. "I Don't Know How To Love Him."

"Is that a song?" Tina asked.

"Yeah," Rachel said. "I remember singing that when I first wanted Finn, and I think it would be good for your voice."

"Awesome," Tina said. "Finn's having us sing songs to ask out the guys in glee this week and I'll look it up and sing it tomorrow."

"Sounds great," Rachel said.

"I'm going to go get practicing now," Tina said. "Bye Rachel."

"Bye Tina," Rachel said, hanging up the phone. Then she remembered Brody was there. "Sorry, one of my friends from high school."

"You're not in high school anymore," Brody said. "So, what are we?"

Rachel thought for a minute. "I'm not ready to put any labels on anything."

x

Rachel didn't want to put labels on anything, and she knew why. It was because she was still in love with Finn. However, it was clear that labels or not, Brody was VERY into... whatever this was. Rachel just wanted to spend some time with Kurt now, but Brody had wanted to meet her downtown. "Okay, so Brody said he's gonna meet me at the library to go downtown," Rachel told Kurt. "Do you want to come?"

"No, no, thanks; I don't want to be a haggy third wheel on your guys's date," Kurt said.

"Come on, you won't be," Rachel encouraged. Then she thought Kurt might feel bad that a boy in New York wasn't into him yet. "All right, you know what I can't wait for? I can't wait for you to find the new man of your dreams, and then me, you, him, and Brody can all go on double-dates together, and it'll be so much fun. I really feel like it's gonna happen soon."

"Actually, there is someone that I have my eye on," Kurt said.

Rachel was surprised. Who was this guy? Wasn't Kurt still into Blaine? "Oh, my God. Who? Is it Raul Esparza?"

Kurt smirked. "No, he goes to school with us, but, I don't know, lately things have been happening, and I'm just gonna try and figure out if he likes me. He told me I look like a young Paul Newman, and he liked my dancing..."

Okay. This guy was into Kurt. "Oh, my God, he is totally crushing on you! What is his name?" Rachel asked.

"I don't want to jinx it, okay? I mean, he's 22, sophisticated, handsome," Kurt began. "Just not what he wants to be with me."

Rachel thought that Kurt wanted to get back with Blaine, but if he didn't, maybe this guy was worth a try. "Oh, God, Kurt, you are a catch, okay? And now that, you know, things with you and Blaine are good, and you're finally over the breakup, I think it's really time for you to put yourself out there, you know? Hey, look, if this guy doesn't want to ask you out, then you ask him out, okay? I promise you, it'll be worth the risk. There's nothing like being in love in New York." Yeah, she'd been in love in New York - with Finn junior year.

Kurt didn't seem to be buying it. "Love? Already?"

Rachel could tell Kurt didn't believe her. "What can I say? Things move fast here. It's not like high school."

"Says the girl who almost got married before graduation," Kurt pointed out.

Rachel wondered every day what her life would be like if she HAD gone through with the wedding. "Seize the moment! Do it! It'll be worth it." She went to join Brody, just wishing it was Finn.

x

It was the night of the dance, and Finn had signed up to chaperone. He knew that Rachel would have asked him if there'd been one of these when they were both at McKinley. As he watched the couples dance, he couldn't help but think back to prom last year. It had been one of the best nights of his life. He and Rachel had both been so happy.

Then Sam came up to him. "Finn, can you come to the locker room?"

"Yeah, of course," Finn said. There were other chaperones, so he figured he'd be fine. He followed Sam to the locker room, where Blaine was waiting.

"Finn, we've been doing some research," Blaine said. "We think the Warblers have been using performance enhancement drugs."

"What?" Finn gasped. The Warblers were wholesome. At least he thought they were. Well, Sebastian wasn't, and that Hunter guy didn't seem to be either, but the rest of them seemed to be.

"Did you see those tricks they were doing at Sectionals?" Blaine asked. "They were insane."

Sam handed Finn some photos of the Warblers from a few months ago, compared to recent ones. "Look at the pictures, Finn. It's not just Hunter. Half the Warblers have gained ten pounds of muscle since they joined the team."

Finn had a feeling he knew what this was. He didn't know where Blaine and Sam were going with this, but this was too serious to throw around. "I already looked into this. This is a weight training regimen that they stole from Vocal Adrenaline."

"You can't just go from being a twig to Jean-Claude Van Damme in a few months," Blaine protested. "Tell him, Sam."

"Look, the average male gains up to two pounds of muscle per month, fact!" Sam declared.

"And that's without cheating," Blaine said. "We looked it up online."

Sam got out his phone. "Plus, look at this cell phone video that Artie and Joe Hart took down at the Lima Bean the other day."

Finn watched the video. It was Hunter Clarington screaming at the barista and throwing a teenage version of a temper tantrum. Finn didn't think Hunter's meltdown meant he was on steroids. It just meant that he was immature.

"Now, that is 'roid rage and you know it," Sam said.

Blaine handed Finn the book. "Look, chapter seven, subsection 16, rule four, line nine. 'Any team using performance-enhancing drugs," including amphetamines, anabolic steroid, human growth hormone or Four Loko will be automatically disqualified from competition.' The rule is retroactive, so if we can prove that they used at Sectionals, they'll have to forfeit and we'll win. Glee Club is back." He high fived Sam. "Blam!"

Finn wanted to go to Regionals. But he wasn't sure if what Blaine and Sam were doing was a good idea. "Guys, what you are asking me to do here is beyond serious. The Warblers are, like, one of the most respected glee clubs in the country. To accuse them of this when all we have for proof is photos of some dudes' heads and a cell phone video? Look, I want Glee Club back just as much as you guys, but this isn't enough. We need more real proof."

"We have some," Blaine said.

"Me," a voice said. Finn turned and saw one of the Warblers. He knew who this was. This was Trent. He was one of the nicest Warblers, and Finn remembered that this had been the first one to join in their performances when the groups had the Michael-off.

"I knew when Trent didn't perform with the Warblers at Sectionals that something was up," Blaine said.

"Yeah, he is kind of like the sunshine of the group, isn't he?" Finn admitted.

"Blaine and I joined the Warblers together," Trent explained. "It was a band of brothers, a group joined by harmony and honor. And then Blaine left and Sebastian came, then Hunter... they just chipped away at everything that was good and special about us. Winning was everything. I mean, you took the shots or you didn't perform. Singing with the Warblers is my life, but I couldn't do it. My hormones can't handle heroic doses of testosterone. The Warblers mean everything to me, and it's killing me to betray them like this."

"You're not betraying them," Blaine said. "Hunter betrayed the Warblers, you're saving them."

"Yeah, that's what they said about Brutus," Trent said. "And Cassius. Look, if I go public with this, then the Warblers' reputation it's ruined forever. Years of honorable melodies and harmonies, all forgotten."

"Look, the Warblers' reputation was ruined the second they decided to cheat to win," Sam shot back. "Fact."

"So, what do you say? Will you do this? Will you testify against the Warblers?" Finn asked.

Trent gulped. "Yes."

x

Rachel had invited Brody over for dinner, but he wasn't showing up. Dinner had been ready nearly an hour ago, but he hadn't showed up, nor had he even called. Kurt was out with that guy he'd met at NYADA, so Rachel was by herself. Then Brody came in. "Hey, sorry I'm late."

Why hadn't he at least told her that he would be late? "It's 9:45. I invited you over at 9:00. You're 45 minutes late. Your turkey burger is cold. You know, six months ago, I probably would've just smiled and reheated this all up for you, and I would have been grateful that you showed up at all." She felt like he had no respect for her, and that he just didn't care. Why did he want to do this anyway? He should have known she was still into someone else...

"Wait, you're actually pissed?" Brody asked.

Rachel knew Finn wouldn't have been late. "Yeah, I am. You know, it's amazing how I strive for such greatness for myself and my career, but I'm fine with taking whatever scraps I can get in my personal life."

"Well, I'm sorry," Brody snapped. "The train was late."

Why hadn't he at least called to say he'd be late? For all she knew, he could have been with someone. "You should've left earlier: Okay, let me ask you, if I would've told you that there was, like, ten million dollars here at this apartment waiting for you, then would you have come on time?"

"Yes," Brody said. "You're priceless. And you're right. And if it means anything to you, it was freezing on the train platform."

So now he was making up excuses. "Am I supposed to feel sorry for you?"

"No," Brody said. "Because I didn't care. Because that train was taking me here, to you. And all I was thinking was that I would wait all night, I would wait my whole life for that train, if it meant that I got to spend my last day with you."

So now he was trying to feed her ego. "I guess I could put it in the microwave."

"Not yet," Brody said. "We have plenty of time to eat. I want to dance."

Rachel began dancing with Brody, not realizing how awkward it felt.

"I promise I will never be late again," Brody said. "I'll get an apartment out here."

"Why don't you just move in?" Rachel joked.

Brody stopped dancing. "I'll go get my things."

"But..." Rachel began. It was a joke. Why was she said that?

Brody turned. "We'll talk when I get back."

Oh no. What had Rachel done? She was joking, but Brody clearly thought she was serious.

The door opened, and Kurt came in. "Rachel, I think I really do like him."

Rachel tried to hide her embarrassment. "That's great. Maybe we can go on a double date soon?"

"Yeah, maybe," Kurt said. "What's wrong? You look upset."

"I've done something stupid," Rachel admitted.

Kurt sat down. "Go on."

"I joked that Brody should move in and now he's going to get his stuff," Rachel admitted.

Kurt looked horrified. "Rachel!"

"I'm so sorry," Rachel said. "I didn't think he'd take it seriously."

"You shouldn't even joke about things like that!" Kurt said. "I don't even know if we're compatible with Brody."

Rachel tried to think of things to say to make herself and Kurt feel better. "At least the rent will be split three ways..."

"I don't care!" Kurt said. "I'm on the fence about Brody..."

So was Rachel. But she couldn't admit that. "Kurt..."

Kurt stormed out of the room, leaving Rachel there. About fifteen minutes later, Rachel's phone rang, and she looked at it. It was Finn. Oh no. Had Kurt told him? Rachel picked up the phone. "Hello?"

"Hey, guess what?" Finn said.

Phew. At least it didn't sound like he knew. He was bound to find out sooner or later though. "What?"

"The Warblers cheated!" Finn said.

"They what?" Rachel asked.

"They've been taking performance enhancement drugs," Finn said. "They're going to be disqualified from Sectionals and we're going to go to Regionals!"

"Wow," Rachel said. "That's great." So Finn still did like her enough to call her when he had big news. "You deserve to go. After what happened at Sectionals - you didn't even get to finish your numbers."

"Yeah, I'm really happy," Finn said. "Now Coach Sylvester will have to give us back our room."

"I bet that would be nice," Rachel said.

"Yeah," Finn said. "I've asked just about every one of my former teachers to let us use their classrooms, and even though they've let us, I doubt they'd keep letting us."

"Well, I'm glad you guys get to go," Rachel said.

"Yeah," Finn said. "Are you okay? You sound upset."

She couldn't tell him. "I'm fine. Just tired."

10 reviews unlock Chapter 82!