Disclaimer – still don't own Glee or football players or cheerios
And here we have another chapter, yay!
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Chapter 19 – A Football Game and a Cheerio
"We have to do something," Leroy said as he and his husband stood either side of their daughter's bed. "This isn't normal."
"What do we do?" Hiram asked. He wore a pained expression on his face as he watched Rachel toss and turn on the bed, her face contorted in discomfort as distressed whines slipped from her mouth.
"I think we should have Rachel meet with the therapist again," Leroy said.
"Is that really necessary?" Hiram replied. "Nothing ever really came of those sessions. Doctor Barlow told us that Rachel wasn't opening up at all to her, not really. She was just faking smiles, fabricating stories and putting on a performance, saying all the things she thought Doctor Barlow wanted to hear."
"I just don't know what to do," Leroy sighed. "Look at her, she's really suffering. Hiram, this is scaring me. The nightmares she was having when we sent her to see Doctor Barlow the first time were never this bad."
"No," Hiram agreed. "This is something different, different nightmares with a different cause behind them."
"I thought this was over," Leroy said. "When Mr. Schuester took over the Glee Club the nightmares seemed to stop. I believed being given a true opportunity to shine and show off her talents had helped her get past these nightmares."
"Maybe she isn't getting enough solos," Hiram suggested. "Perhaps we should go to the school tomorrow and have a word with Mr. Schuester. While we're there we can stop by the Guidance Counsellors office and see if she can do a better job at getting Rachel to open up than Doctor Barlow did."
"Yes, let's do that," Leroy nodded as he ran his hand through Rachel's hair as the girl settled in her sleep slightly.
"And if these night terrors persist?" Hiram asked. "What will we do then? I can't just stand and do nothing while she screams and cries in her sleep, Leroy, I just can't."
"I know, I can't handle seeing her in pain either," Leroy responded. "We'll go down to the school tomorrow and see what happens. If the situation hasn't improved in a week we'll try something else. Herbal medicines, maybe, sleeping tablets. If the nightmares persist we may have to consider taking her to the hospital and getting her brain scanned to see if something's wrong."
Rachel whimpered in her sleep, the sound making both men's hearts break just a little bit more.
XXX
"No way," Santana stated bluntly in response to Mercedes' question.
"Come on, don't be like that," Mercedes replied. "Rachel's really been going through a tough time and she's really working on herself. Just stop with the bitchy Cheerio act and be a little nicer to her."
"First of all, the bitchy Cheerio thing is not an act, it's who I am," Santana claimed. "And why should I be nice to a girl attached to a ridiculously large nose anyway? Seriously, what has Grandma Berry ever done for me?"
"Forget I asked," Mercedes groaned turning to walk away before stopping and looking back at Santana over her shoulder. "How long does it take you to do your hair in the mornings?"
"I don't know, like thirty minutes," Santana shrugged at the odd question. "Why?"
"Oh, I just wondered," Mercedes replied with a smile so innocent Santana instantly suspected something mischievous.
"Whoa, hold up, what the hell does that mean?" Santana demanded to know getting right into Mercedes' face, trying to be intimidating.
"It means," Mercedes answered slowly, happily releasing her own diva-attitude to match Santana's ferocity. "That every time I see or hear you be mean to Rachel, I will cause a mini-thunderstorm to happen right over your head. I'm not sure how hot you're gonna look after your hair's messed up by all that wind and rain. In fact, it's gonna screw with your make-up too."
"You're bluffing," Santana retorted.
"Am I?" Mercedes challenged and she could tell that the other girl was impressed by her response.
"Girls who sing in a Church Choir can't do things like that," Santana stated. "They have to be good all the time. That's why you don't see bitches like me attending Church."
"Not arguing with you on the bitch part," Mercedes commented. "But girls like me can do as many bad things as they want. Just because I go to Church doesn't automatically make me a good girl. Maybe it just means there are a lot of things I need to pray for forgiveness for."
"Whatever, I'm not being nice to Berry," Santana sniffed.
"Then I suggest you start carrying a hairbrush and comb with you at all times," Mercedes told her. "Because if I find out you're picking on Rachel then that thunderstorm is totally happening." She snapped her fingers and a rumble of thunder sounded above Santana's head threateningly before Mercedes walked away.
"She's bluffing," Santana said confidently.
XXX
She was not bluffing, as Santana found out shortly after second period when Mercedes overheard Santana tell Rachel she should start rehearsals for the Miss Lima Loser Pageant immediately to reclaim her title.
True to her word, Mercedes had indeed created a thunderstorm above Santana's head, one that was naked to the eye. The Latina's hair was in such disarray that it looked like she'd been caught up in a tornado and her make-up looked like it had been carelessly thrown on her face with a shovel. Santana instantly raced to the nearest girls' bathroom to tidy herself up, Mercedes following behind her.
"Still think I'm bluffing?" Mercedes asked in a calm tone.
"Oh bite me," Santana snapped.
"Was that an invitation?" Tina asked with a smirk as she stealthily stepped out of a toilet stall, making the other girls jump.
"I thought Mike was your little biting bitch puppy guy, go play with him," Santana said.
"Hey, no biting, the biting is bad," Mercedes objected.
"Well I'm really thirsty," Tina replied. "I need something."
"Maybe you could go to the butcher's and get pig's blood or something," Mercedes suggested.
"Eww, that's gross," Santana remarked as she washed the smeared make-up off of her face.
"Oh but drinking human's blood isn't?" Mercedes asked in disbelief.
"At least biting Mike and making-out with him is probably all sexy and stuff," Santana answered. "Hey, Queen T, have you considered just offering to lick a girl out while she's on her period?"
"Yuck, Santana," Mercedes complained and Tina looked equally repulsed.
"I think I'll just grab a slushee for now," Tina commented. "Love your new hair-do by the way," she smirked at Santana before exiting.
"Damn it," Santana huffed looking at her reflection. "You really fucked my hair up."
"Yes, I really did," Mercedes agreed. "And I will do so again if you continue being mean to Rachel."
"Why does everybody care so much about Berry lately?" Santana asked. "Not so long ago we had an unofficial 'Hate Rachel Berry Club', and now what, you've all suddenly formed the 'Support Rachel Berry Sympathy Society'?"
"Seriously, just try and be nicer to her, maybe you'll even like her and become real friends," Mercedes suggested.
"Un-freaking-likely," Santana responded. "Damn it," she complained trying to work her hairbrush through the tangle of knots Mercedes' thunderstorm had created.
"Here, let me," Mercedes sighed and with a glare Santana handed her the hairbrush.
Keeping calm and concentrating, Mercedes used her powers to wet Santana's hair a little more, though this time with a shower affect rather than rain. She then worked the hairbrush through her dark locks and slowly created a blow-dryer inspired wind to dry the girl's hair before fashioning it into a pony-tail.
"Want me to help with your make-up?" Mercedes asked.
"No, no," Santana objected. "Britt-Britt's the only other girl who gets to do my make-up."
"Hey," Mercedes said as Santana made to leave. "Are you gonna try and be nicer to Rachel or not?"
"I guess I could try," Santana shrugged. "I'll have to be extra mean to someone else to compensate of course."
XXX
"Hey," Artie found Rachel sitting outside the Principal's Office. "Matt told me you were down here. What's going on?"
"My dads are in there talking to Figgins, Mr. Schue and Miss Pillsbury," Rachel answered him. "I've been pretty vocal in my sleep lately. Screaming, crying out."
"Because of thoughts and visions?" Artie asked sympathetically and Rachel nodded.
"My dads think it's nightmares but they're really worried about it," Rachel told him. "They think maybe I'm not getting enough solo's or something and they're sort of interrogating Mr. Schuester about how much of an opportunity I'm getting to shine in Glee Club. And they want to set me up with some counselling sessions with Miss Pillsbury."
"Well, Miss P's really nice," Artie said. "My counselling sessions with her really were a great help."
"You had counselling sessions?" Rachel asked in surprise.
"Yeah," Artie nodded. To help me cope with being in a wheelchair.
"Oh, I never knew," Rachel said apologetically. "I guess I always thought you were just used to being in the chair and therefore completely accepting of it. Actually, no, that's a lie. I never took the time to think about you and all the obstacles you faced at all," she admitted.
"Don't worry about it, nobody else did either," Artie told her. "Damn girl, are you ok?" he asked as Rachel whimpered and dropped her head to her hands.
"Mmm, I'll be fine," Rachel replied. "The headache will pass… eventually."
"Come here," Artie pulled her closer to him and twisted them slightly so that she was relaxing against his chest. He then placed his fingers to her temples and massaged lightly. "Is that any help?"
"Mmm, that feels nice," Rachel sighed leaning in to the touch.
I'd make the pain go away if I could, Artie thought.
"I know," Rachel managed to smile faintly as she closed her eyes and relaxed under Artie's ministrations.
Artie dropped his fingers from Rachel's head and pressed the whisper of a kiss to the girl's temple. He then pushed her dark strands of hair behind her ear as he placed a kiss to her cheek. He then brushed his lips at the corner of her mouth before she turned slightly to meet him in a real kiss.
My first kiss, Artie thought.
"Wanky," Santana interrupted them in an amused tone and Artie looked to Santana with annoyance as he placed his arm around Rachel's shoulders. "Ok, Berry, today's the day all your dreams come true," she announced.
"Oh no," Rachel said with widened eyes hearing the girl's thoughts. "You cannot be serious."
"Um, what's going on?" Artie asked.
"Rachel Berry is about to become a Cheerio, yay," Santana applauded.
"But I don't want to be a Cheerio," Rachel objected. "Besides, Coach Sylvester hates me. She'd never allow it."
"She already has," Santana replied smugly. "Kelly broke her ankle or something in Cheerio practice, you should have seen her fall, it was hilarious," she laughed. "But we can't do our routine at tonight's Football game if we're a cheerleader down. So I recommended you and it took some convincing but eventually I got Coach Sue to agree."
"How?" Rachel and Artie asked together in amazement.
"I pointed out that you frequently wear short skirts anyway and that you do have pretty good legs for someone so short," Santana commented.
"We're practically the same height," Rachel mumbled.
"Due to being in Glee Club and all the Dance Classes you attend you're great at picking up Choreography and you do move really well," Santana admitted begrudgingly. "And when that didn't work I simply told her that it was you who drew the picture of Mr. Schue on the wall outside his Spanish Classroom that pays particular attention to his curly hair and butt-chin."
"I didn't draw that," Rachel said.
"No, Brittany did," Santana replied. "But Coach Sue thinks you did it and in her eyes that makes you worthy of being a Cheerio. Now come on, we only have a couple of hours to practice before the Football Game tonight."
She grabbed Rachel's arm and led her away, ignoring her protests.
XXX
A few hours later, Kurt had arrived back at McKinley with his dad. Seeing Artie waving at him in the mid-section of the bleachers, Kurt climbed up so he and his dad could sit with him.
"Hey, I didn't think you'd be here," Artie commented.
"I came to see Puck play," Kurt said shyly.
"I bet you did," Artie grinned. "I came to support Rachel."
"Rachel's playing Football?" Kurt asked in confusion.
"No, she's Cheerleading," Artie answered before explaining what had happened earlier.
"Hey boys, hi, Mr. Hummel," Mercedes greeted happily as she and Tina climbed the risers to join them, the two girls carrying a drink each and sitting on the row behind them.
"Hey, mind if I have sip?" Artie asked Tina gesturing to her lidded cup as the girl sucked through the straw.
"Trust me, you don't want it," Tina told him pointedly and Artie's eyes widened as he realised she was drinking blood.
"Relax," Mercedes whispered to him so Burt wouldn't hear. "It's pig's blood from the Butcher's."
The Football team came out and Kurt stood up to cheer and applaud as Puck ran out onto the pitch with the rest of the McKinley Titans.
"You guys will tell me when it's appropriate for me to cheer for Puck, right?" Kurt asked.
"We don't understand Football anymore than you," Tina pointed out on behalf of herself and Mercedes.
"What about you, kid, you know Football?" Burt asked Artie.
"Not really," Artie shrugged. "Since I could never properly play I never really bothered learning all the rules."
"Wait, you're the kid who used to…" Burt stopped himself before mentioning anything about a wheelchair. "Wear glasses," he recovered.
"Oh, yeah, um, I got contacts," Artie lied.
"Right, sure," Burt nodded and Kurt smiled at Artie awkwardly.
"Hey, here comes Rachel," Mercedes pointed out as the Cheerio's made their way onto the field to entertain the crowd and cheer the Football Team on.
"She looks so good," Tina smiled and Artie turned to send her a look that clearly said 'don't be thinking about biting my girl, woman'. "Just watch the game," Tina told him ruffling his hair.
"She's actually really good," Mercedes said watching Rachel perform the cheerleading routine with the other girls, not giving away the fact she'd only had a couple of hours to rehearse.
"Puck's running with the ball, do I cheer?" Kurt asked.
"Yes!" Burt yelled out getting into the spirit of the game and Kurt imitated him. "Go on, go on, go on, that's it, that's how it's done!"
"Woo, go team!" Kurt cheered. "Ouch," he winced as a player was tackled to the ground.
"Yikes, this is rough," Mercedes commented.
"I think it looks fun," Tina said wickedly. "I'd love to play and show all those boys how it feels to be beaten by a girl."
"You'd have to know the rules first," Mercedes pointed out.
"True, maybe I'll just join the Wrestling Team instead," she joked.
They continued to watch the game. Kurt was following Puck, Tina was watching Mike like a hawk, Burt was keeping his eye on the ball, Mercedes was watching the Cheerio's routine while Artie was simply watching Rachel and desperately hoping she could keep the Cheerio outfit.
"Hey, where's Kurt?" Burt asked.
An invisible Kurt squeezed Artie's shoulder to let the boy know he was still there.
"Oh, Kurt went to the toilet," Artie excused.
"I should probably find him, make sure he's alright," Burt said and Kurt squeezed Artie's shoulder a little tighter.
"Actually, I could use the restroom myself," Artie told him standing up. "I'll check on Kurt."
Before Burt could disagree, Artie made his way down the bleachers, Kurt's hand still gripping tight to his shoulder as he followed. They made their way towards the school building, Kurt still very much invisible.
"Ok, calm down, relax, and concentrate," Artie advised. "Make yourself visible again."
"I can't, it doesn't work like that," Kurt sighed. "It just happens when it wants to, I have no control."
"Yes you do," Artie told him. "You just need to believe in yourself, Kurt. Try some of the exercises Brittany's been teaching us."
It took a few minutes, but Kurt's visibility restored again.
"Ok, we're good, let's head back to the game," Artie said and the pair returned to the bleachers, Artie looking out at Rachel once more while Kurt followed Puck's progression up and down the field.
The game finished and Kurt checked with his dad to make sure McKinley had won before jumping up and down as he cheered and applauded.
"Ok, you say a quick congratulations and a goodbye and that's it," Burt told Kurt as they made their way down the bleachers.
"Yes, I know, I know," Kurt nodded.
"Hey," Puck greeted with a large grin as he removed his helmet and ran over to Kurt. "See how awesome I was?"
"I suppose there were a few moments that I was impressed by," Kurt replied as he smoothed out his fringe.
"Yeah, I shouldn't be hearing this," Burt mumbled to himself as he moved a safe distance away so that he could still see his son but couldn't hear him flirting or being flirted with. "So, what do you girls think of this Puck guy?" he asked Tina and Mercedes.
"He has my approval," Mercedes said. "And the girlfriends' approval of a boy is always super important to teen gays."
"Super important," Tina nodded in agreement. "I'm team PucKurt all the way."
"You know you can't keep them apart, right?" Mercedes asked.
"No, but I could lock that Puckerman kid up and have my way with him," Burt stated.
"I think that's what Kurt wants to do to him," Tina giggled and Burt mentally cringed at his poor choice of words.
"What is it with teenagers?" Burt asked of no-one in particular. "Why do you reach a certain age and suddenly you're not innocent little kids anymore. You just turn into these wild creatures who just want to have sex."
"It's the hormones," Tina shrugged.
"Kurt isn't the type to just throw himself around, Mr. Hummel," Mercedes said. "You know that. He really likes Puck but he won't rush into, you know, that,kind of stuff. He'll experience those things when he's ready and nobody will pressure him into doing anything before he's ready."
"Nobody pushes the Hummel's around," Tina added.
"Damn right they don't," Burt agreed. "Any chance Kurt won't decide he's ready until he's… thirty?"
"No," Tina answered bluntly. "But if it's any comfort to you, go on believing that. And if it helps, Mercedes is waiting till marriage," she said and Mercedes nodded in confirmation.
XXX
"So seriously, you weren't bored out of your mind?" Puck asked Kurt.
"Not at all," Kurt answered honestly. "It was exciting. I still don't understand the rules but I certainly got caught up in the thrill and passion of the school spirit. Plus I can't deny that I have found a whole new appreciation for the Football gear, at least when you're wearing it anyway."
"I so wanna make-out with you right now," Puck admitted and Kurt blushed. "But your old man's watching us."
"Not a problem," Kurt said. Rachel, can you hear me? He asked and the girl turned from where she'd been embracing Artie to meet his eye and nod. Can I ask for a favour? She smiled as a sign for him to continue. Just distract my dad for long enough so I can kiss Puck?
Rachel's smile widened before she quickly whispered something to Artie before jogging over to Mr. Hummel, Mercedes and Tina. She greeted the older Hummel and twirled about in her Cheerio uniform for him and began talking excitedly and at great length, keeping his attention on her. Seeming to catch on to Rachel's motives, Mercedes and Tina worked to help her keep Burt's attention away from Kurt and Puck.
"I'm all yours," Kurt told Puck.
They kissed, passionately, completely unaware of Karofsky's angry jealous eyes on them.
To Be Continued…
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