Disclaimer – I do not own Glee

Hello dear readers, welcome back to a new chapter

I can happily say that I am now MrsIceQueenRia. Or maybe my husband is MrIceQueenRia? Either way, married now so yay for me.

Chapter 42 – Pretty Little Thing

After a very satisfying blow-job, Kurt and Puck cuddled up to watch a DVD together. Kurt had selected a classic tear-jerker. While his eyes were moist by the movie's end, it was actually Puck who was really crying over the film, not that he would ever admit to it if Kurt ever told anyone.

"Stupid girly film," Puck mumbled under his breath and Kurt smiled fondly as he brushed his boyfriend's tears away. "Next time I vote for a hardcore action flick."

"Of course, Noah," Kurt replied knowing that Puck secretly preferred tear-jerkers, rom-coms and chick-flicks to any action movie and they'd probably end up re-watching Mean Girls, Moulin Rouge or My Girl next time.

"It's getting pretty late," Puck acknowledged. "If I don't leave soon your old man's gonna shoot me."

"Don't be ridiculous," Kurt rolled his eyes. "My dad is not going to shoot you."

"He might," Puck pouted. "He thinks I'm corrupting you. But what he doesn't realise is that you're actually the horny little bitch in this relationship and you're corrupting me."

"Indeed, my mission in life has always been to corrupt you," Kurt claimed pressing a kiss to Puck's collarbone. "I like to think I'm succeeding in my task."

"You might have to prove that to me," Puck grinned as he watched Kurt lean in to circle his tongue around his nipple before giving a playful bite. "Fuck," the bad boy hissed.

"Too bad it's getting late," Kurt sighed. "I suppose you really should go before my dad really does shoot you."

Gripping Kurt's chin lightly, Puck pulled the ivory-skinned teen in for a gentle kiss before heading upstairs. He made a point of saying goodbye to Burt and picking up his letterman jacket as he left through the front door. A few minutes later, he was climbing in through Kurt's bedroom window and the two boys were naked in Kurt's bed, the letterman jacket abandoned on the floor.

XXX

Up in her bedroom, Tina finished writing the conclusion to her History essay. Homework finished, she crawled under the cool sheets of her bed and closed her eyes. She tossed and turned for several minutes, unable to get comfortable. Giving up, she kicked the covers off and crossed to her bedroom window. Opening it up and sitting on the ledge, she wondered what was happening on the streets of Lima at night with only the moon and stars as witnesses.

As the breeze caressed her skin and blew through her hair, she yearned to be out in the night and prowling the streets. Alas, she no longer possessed superior strength. She set her feet safely on her bedroom carpet and closed the window before returning to her bed.

XXX

"I don't understand," Rachel cried in the girls' bathroom, Quinn, Mercedes and Tina standing around with sympathetic expressions. "I thought the song selection was perfect. Did I sing off-key or something?" she asked.

"Rachel, you sang beautifully," Quinn assured her grabbing some tissue and dabbing at the Cheerio's eyes. "I guess Artie just needs more time."

"I just don't know what I'm supposed to do," Rachel admitted. "I know this is a difficult time for him and I want to be there for him and help him through it but he just keeps shutting me out."

"Well as far as I can tell he's shutting everybody out," Mercedes claimed. "Maybe you should just back off and let the boy come to you."

"No," Tina shook her head. "No, this has gone on long enough. I'm going to go talk to him."

"And say what?" Quinn asked. "Sorry you're in a wheelchair again but get over it and talk to your girlfriend? I don't think that will work out too well."

"Obviously she isn't going to say that," Mercedes said. "Right?" she checked.

"I'll say whatever I have to," Tina replied.

"But what did you have in mind?" Quinn asked her.

"I don't know," Tina shrugged. "I figured I'd just piss him off enough so that he lashes out in anger and gets everything off his chest. He's been bottling it up, he needs to unleash. Once he's ranted and raged a little maybe he'll calm down enough to start talking to the people who care about him instead of pushing them away. It shouldn't take too long," she said confidently. "If I put my mind to it I can piss anybody off."

"Is it just me or does she still move all vampire-like with the swishing of the long dress billowing out behind her?" Mercedes asked.

"Perhaps not quite as dramatic as it was when she had the powers but still effective nonetheless," Rachel responded. "Do you think she can get through to Artie?"

"She is his best friend," Mercedes reasoned. "And Tina can be really stubborn. I think she'll get through to him."

"I hope so," Rachel said quietly.

"Hey, it's gonna be ok," Quinn hugged her. "Come on, we should fix your make-up. If you show up at Cheerio practice like that Coach Sylvester will revoke your tanning privileges and make you smell your own armpits."

XXX

Tina found Artie in the auditorium working with Puck, Matt and Kurt on some wheelchair choreography.

"Queen T," Kurt called out in greeting.

"Looking good babe," Puck told her.

"Yeah, could you and Kurt go and make-out somewhere while Matt does whatever the hell he likes to do?" Tina asked. "I need to speak to Artie, privately. It's a best friend thing."

"Alright," Kurt agreed. "Come on, Noah," he wheeled himself down the stage ramp and his boyfriend followed.

"You ok?" Matt asked Artie, only taking his leave when he received a nod from the boy.

"Let me guess," Artie sighed as he looked Tina in the eye. "You're here to give me some inspirational speech about how being back in a wheelchair doesn't have to be a bad thing."

"Something like that," Tina shrugged. "Except the part about it not being a bad thing. It is a bad thing. It sucks Artie and I hate that this has happened to you again. But it has."

"Right and I need to deal with it, I know," Artie told her. "I am. I'm dealing ok so just stop worrying and let me get on with my life."

"I'd love to," Tina replied. "But as far as I can tell you're not really getting on with your life, Artie."

"I'm choreographing this number for Glee Club, I've rejoined the Chess Club, Jazz Band sessions are actually going remarkably well thank you very much," Artie said.

"That's great, it really is," Tina told him. "But you've been skipping out on our Tuesday lunches together. You haven't performed any solos in Glee Club since you got out of the hospital. You're not making any effort to spend time with your friends and you're completely avoiding Rachel and that's not cool."

"That's not your business," Artie wheeled down the ramp of the stage and headed out of the auditorium.

"Well I'm making it my business," Tina claimed as she swept after him, her high-heeled boots clicking with each step. "Rachel actually managed to become a tolerable human being and she fell in love with you and from where I was standing in the shadows it looked to me like you fell in love with her too. Now if you've changed your mind and decided you don't want to be with her anymore then at least have the balls to say it to her face. Don't string her along with false hope. Go and break her little heart so that she can make a start at moving on. Or if you do still want to be with her go and tell her that. Don't push her away because you're going through a difficult time. Let her help you through it, that's what friendships and relationships are all about Artie. We help each other."

"Still not any of your business," Artie stated.

"Glee freak!" a boy off the Hockey team yelled pouring a soda can over Artie's head as he passed by, sharing a high-five with his friend as they both laughed.

"Hey!" Tina snarled as she stalked after them.

"Damn it, Tina, leave it," Artie warned wheeling after her.

"You boys better leave my friend alone," Tina told the two Hockey players.

"Oh yeah?" the boy who threw the soda asked. "Or what?" he challenged.

"Or this," Tina replied smacking him hard across the face and kneeing him in the groin. She pushed him to the ground and stood on his hand, twisting her high-heel into the skin and making him wail. "Bother him again," Tina suggested as she put more weight on her heel, driving it further into the boy's hand. "I dare you."

She stepped away before sauntering off, wheeling Artie in front of her.

"Ha, you so just got your ass kicked by a chick," somebody laughed.

XXX

That night, Tina stood at her bedroom window looking out at the street. The experience with the Hockey player at school had left her feeling powerful and confident. She climbed through the window and carefully made her way down the drainpipe. She tip-toed out of the front garden and walked quietly down the street before breaking into a run, heading towards the more dangerous part of Lima.

Slowing down, she scanned her eyes all around her for any sign of trouble, listening intently all the while. Hearing a rattling up ahead, she stood to her full height and moved towards the source of the noise. She flinched in alarm as a stray cat jumped out from a trash can before disappearing into the night.

"Just a cat," Tina told herself. Spying a broken baseball bat in the trash, she pulled it out, wincing as she caught her palm on the splintered wood. "Ouch," she carried on walking with the broken baseball bat in hand.

A strong gust of wind made the limbs of the trees sway uncontrollably, their shadows casting monstrous shapes.

"It's only my imagination," Tina whispered to herself as the hairs on the back of her neck stood on end. "My mind's just playing tricks on me."

Gripping tight to the baseball bat, she walked on. Soon she was in an alleyway, releasing a small shriek when the streetlight went out, leaving her in darkness. She heard movement.

"Who's there?" she called out. "Show yourself," she commanded. "I'm not afraid of you," she said weakly taking a step back. Hearing footsteps, she took another step back before turning and preparing to run. It was then that two hands grabbed her shoulders and pushed her against the wall.

"Roar!" an older guy growled in her face, the stench of alcohol on his breath. "I want to suck your blood!" he leaned in to her neck and Tina screamed, dropping the bat to the ground.

She held her arms in front of herself protectively as she heard laughter. Looking up she found three nerdy looking college guys doubled-over as they laughed at her.

"I'm sorry, I'm sorry," the one who had pretended to be a vampire laughed out his apology. "I just couldn't resist."

"The look on your face," one of the others laughed.

"Leave me alone," Tina choked out, mortified to realise she was crying.

"Seriously, I'm sorry," vampire-guy laughed and Tina bent to retrieve the baseball bat before hitting him in the ribs with it and running off down the alleyway. "Ouch, crazy bitch!"

She kept on running, tears falling down her cheeks, her hair whipping behind her. After running for a full two minutes she realised they weren't even following her. She slumped against a nearby wall to get her breathing back under control, clinging tight to the baseball bat. Looking around herself, she realised she didn't recognise the street in the darkness and she began to whimper as she panicked over how she was going to get home.

Hearing an approaching car, she pressed herself against the wall and sank down to the ground, hoping to stay out of sight. The car pulled to a stop and she held her breath as the car door opened and a dark figure stepped out. Keeping still and quiet, she watched on as two more large figures emerged from the car before a smaller figure hesitantly stepped out.

"This isn't my house," the smaller figure, a woman said.

"No, it's mine," the driver of the car said. "The boys and I figured you might want to join us for a little party."

Tina's heart beat increased and a sense of dread flooded through her. It seemed the woman shared her feelings as she started to back away from the men, heading right towards where Tina was concealed.

"I'm leaving," the woman said preparing to run but one of the men grabbed her around the middle. "Get help, help me!" she called out urgently spying Tina and drawing the men's attention to her. The man holding her covered her mouth with his hand before she could release any more screams.

"Oh look," one of the men commented. "We've got another pretty little thing right here."

"I'm not afraid of you," Tina said quietly making the men chuckle. "Let her go," she said holding up the broken baseball bat. "I'll fight you," she warned causing them to snigger some more.

"Go ahead, sweetheart," the driver of the car laughed stepping closer to her. "Take your best shot," he invited while his friends chortled some more.

Glaring, Tina slashed the broken bat through the air, the splintered wood cutting into the man's skin and scratching his cheek open. Not giving the man time to react, she swung the bat back the other way, the splintered wood scratching up the other side of his face. She then threw the bat at one of the other guys. She missed her target but distracted him long enough to jump into the car. She turned on the headlights and honked the horn. The men all covered their ears and tried to shield their eyes from the sudden light. The woman took the opportunity to elbow the man in the stomach and run to join Tina in the car and she promptly drove them away from the scene.

"Oh my god, oh my god, oh my god," the woman muttered under her breath.

"Where do you live?" Tina managed to ask once her heart stopped beating so frantically, her tears had dried and mind-numbing fear eased off somewhat.

Following the woman's directions, she drove her home.

"Thank you, thank you so much," the woman gushed pulling Tina in for a hug. "Should we… do we call the police?"

"No, just, just go home," Tina advised. "Forget about tonight and be careful who you get into cars with in the future."

"What… what were you doing out on your own?" the woman wondered but Tina didn't answer. "Well, whoever you are, whatever you were doing, thank you."

Driving on, Tina found a street she recognised and followed it until she passed Puck's house. She drove a little further on before leaving the stolen car abandoned in the car park of a little corner shop. She then ran back to Puck's house and knocked frantically on his front door.

"Tina, what the hell?" Puck asked standing bleary eyed in just his boxers.

"Noah, what's going on?" his sister called from upstairs. "Did ma forget her keys again?"

"Nothing, it's a friend, go back to sleep," Puck yelled back. "Tina, what happened? You're shaking," he noticed as the girl fell sobbing into his arms. "Um, ok, it's gonna be ok."

"I'm not strong anymore," Tina whimpered. "I'm so stupid. I shouldn't have gone looking for trouble. I'm not strong anymore."

"It's ok, it's ok," Puck soothed her stroking her hair and waiting for her to calm down.

Eventually, she fell asleep and Puck tucked the covers around her before calling Kurt.

"Sorry to wake you, baby," he apologised before telling Kurt what was going on.

"Is she ok?" Kurt asked.

"She's not hurt, just shaken up," Puck answered.

"What actually happened?" Kurt asked.

"I haven't managed to get a full story yet," Puck explained. "But I think she went out looking to play Tina Warrior Princess again. I'm guessing without the powers it didn't work out quite so well."

"Oh my god, is she crazy?" Kurt responded. "She can't go out looking for trouble. This is insane. She could have gotten hurt. She could have gotten killed."

"Ok, babe, calm down," Puck said. "There's no use making a drama out of this. I think Tina knows she made a dumb move going out tonight and I don't think she'll be repeating it. She doesn't need her friends yelling and telling her she's done something stupid. She knows. Trust me."

"Just take care of her Noah," Kurt sighed.

"Don't worry, Queen T's safe with Puckzilla," Puck told him. "Goodnight, baby, love you."

To Be Continued…

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Love and hugs, IceQueenRia xox