"I'm not even sure you still deserve ice-cream, after how you embarrassed me in front of the tattoo guy," Tina admonished him, with her hands on her hips, as they waited in line at Dairy Queen twenty minutes after Tina had frantically pushed him out of the tattoo parlor.

"I absolutely don't deserve it," Artie agreed. "But a deal's a deal, right? Your treat. You know our order. I'm gonna go snag our usual booth."

Without letting her say anything in return, he set off to find a half-booth/half-table. Upon locating it, he nudged the chair out of his way and rolled under the open place. Their booth was next to the window, and as he waited on Tina, he watched cars pull into the parking lot.

A fancy convertible pulled up in an available handicapped space. It had no plates or tags, so it was parking there illegally. Five Cheerios poured out. Nice, he thought, scowling at the blatant disrespect. But forgetting about the injustice he'd just witnessed, he instead was startled to spot Quinn and Santana. Quinn climbed out of the front passenger seat and Santana had been the driver. Or, no... upon closer inspection, it was Kitty and a brunette with the same dark complexion as Santana. He lost sight of the group of Cheerios briefly as they filed into the Dairy Queen. He spotted them again as they joined the end of the line.

Tina was getting their banana split with two spoons about that time and turned to spot the Cheerios all lined up behind her. She had a funny look on her face initially, quickly replaced by what Artie knew to be her fake smile. As soon as she had walked past the line, however, her smile faded and she rolled her eyes, taking her seat across from Artie.

"What?" Artie asked. "Cheerios can't like tasty treats?"

"Artie," she said, with a tone that sounded like she thought he was the dumbest human alive. "They aren't even here for ice-cream like every other normal person here. My camp friend, Meghan, works here and she told me they come in almost every single day for lunch during boot camp and order salads."

"I'm sure Coach Sylvester makes them do that," Artie reasoned. "In fact, I remember Amy always dieting when she was on the team. I didn't realize how harmful all that diet rhetoric was back then." Punctuating that thought, he dug right into the banana split.

"If I ate more salads, I could look like them," Tina said, casting a doubtful look at their banana split and then glancing over her shoulder at the Cheerios once more. "Actually, scratch that, I think it would take more than just eating salad." And with that, she dug in, too. "And I haven't got the willpower."

"Speaking as a guy," Artie began, stroking his chin. "I would rather be with a girl who could just have fun with me while eating everything that I eat. She could still respect her body without starving herself."

"Can we talk about something else?" Tina pleaded.

"Sure!" Artie was happy to change the subject anyway. "I haven't told you about my idea for a fall musical. I want to direct another one, and I know exactly what show I wanna do. 'Grease!' Everyone's heard of the movie. It'll be a hit with the audience. We might even sell enough tickets to turn a profit on this one and raise money for this year's trip to Nationals!"

He took a breath and stopped talking long enough to gauge her reaction. She didn't speak at first, however, tilting her head in thought. Artie waited for her to meet him at the appropriate level of enthusiasm. But when she didn't react right away, he provided a few more details to elaborate on how epic an idea this was.

"Kurt and Finn have agreed to help as my co-directors," Artie went on. "And I'm going to talk to Mr. Schue, to see if we can use the musical to recruit for Glee and vice-versa. Like having one audition for both. Isn't that great?"

"Who would you pick for Sandy?" she wanted to know. "Me or Brittany? You wouldn't pick her just because she's blonde, would you?"

Artie frowned. "Well, first off, no," he said. "You know that last year, I didn't factor in anyone's appearance or their race when I was looking for Maria. Sandy could be Asian. Of course." Tina looked satisfied, but she was probably thinking he'd just told her she would be Sandy. "But my co-directors and I won't know who we're casting for the leads until the auditions. It might not even be a senior."

"It might not even be a senior?" Tina got a little too loud for the middle of a crowded fast food joint. Artie looked around. She got the message and lowered her voice. "You're as bad as Mr. Schue, Artie. Don't you think us seniors have served our time in the background by now?"

This was the part he honestly dreaded about directing another show. How could he forget the drama from last time, when he was forced to choose between Rachel, Mercedes, and Santana for the lead? Tina truly hadn't been in the running, but being that she was a junior then, she understood. Now it looked like she had a certain expectation, based on her seniority, and that really wasn't how he planned to do things. The best person for the role would get it, and it was as simple as that.

"Don't you think it would be better for you to let me be objective?" He answered her question with one of his own. "That way, if do you get the part you want, you'll know it was because you deserved it, and not just because you're a senior or because we're best friends?"

She didn't have an immediate comeback for that one, even though the notion that Artie wasn't just going to bestow her with a part for those reasons clearly annoyed her. She leaned back in her seat and just glared at him. He glared right back, taking a bite of the banana split without even breaking eye contact. He stared until he had stared her down. She was the first to look away, and that was when she too gazed out the window and noticed the red convertible illegally parked in the handicap spot. She, being his best friend, had an eagle eye for this sort of thing by now as well.

"Artie, did you–"

"Yeah, I saw it," Artie confirmed. "It belongs to them."

He then made the mistake of gesturing with his thumb over his shoulder and turning to make eye contact with the Santana of the new group, the driver of the car. It was an awkward moment, but rather than doing a quick about-face and pretending it didn't happen, he opted to smile first and then casually turn back to Tina.

"The nerve of some people," Tina said, like he didn't catch her hogging the accessible changing room that time he took Quinn to Target in her wheelchair.

"Hey, Artie."

The new Quinn, otherwise known as Kitty, passed by their table with the new Santana. Artie was pleasantly surprised that Kitty was acknowledging him in public, actually in the presence of these other Cheerios, and that it seemed like she'd purposely walked by their table to greet him. They hadn't talked much at the pool so far, but seeing as she was busy watching over everyone in the water or teaching while he was preoccupied with Gabe, there really hadn't been much time to chat.

"Hey, Kitty!" he said, brightly. Then, remembering his manners, he added. "This is Tina."

Tina gave a little wave, probably wondering if Artie was going to mention the illegal parking. He didn't much feel like policing the whole world, however, just because he was in a chair. For one thing, that quickly became exhausting. For another, being a boring, rule-follower didn't impress cheerleaders. And even though he preferred the more down-to-Earth type – like Marley, for instance – he still wanted to show the new popular kids that he was one of them. (Particularly if they didn't yet know otherwise.)

"I'm Bree," said the new Santana. "Not like the cheese. You two look cute together. Are you going out?"

"Nope," said Tina, even though she probably realized their shared dessert looked weirdly comfortable and, some might even say, romantic. "Just friends. Hey, is that your red convertible?"

Oh, no, Tina, Artie thought. Why go there?! He tried to give her a look meant to signal her to leave it alone, but she was ignoring him.

"Yup," Bree confirmed, blissfully unaware of the problem. "I haven't got my license just yet but Daddy wants me to practice, like just driving around town and stuff."

"Oh, I see," said Tina, sweetly. "Well, since you don't have a license just yet and you're driving your car around town, someone probably better warn you that you parked illegally, in a handicap space. You know, because then you'd get a ticket for two things."

"Oh, oops," said Bree, covering her mouth and handing Kitty her salad hastily. "Here, hold this, I'd better move my car." And then Bree looked at Artie. "Sorry," she added.

"Totally fine." Artie turned away to glare at Tina, who glared right back at him, and they were in another stare-down, it seemed. Meanwhile, Bree scurried out to to the parking lot, acting like it was news to her that she couldn't park in that clearly-marked spot.

"You sure you two aren't going out?" Artie had almost forgotten they still had an audience, until Kitty spoke up again. She was smirking at their little banter, misinterpreting the whole thing.

Artie said "no" just as Tina said "we used to date." And they looked at each other, Artie once again begging her to shut up with his eyes.

"Freshman year," Artie clarified. "Ages ago. We're still friends." It was time for a swift change of subject. "Hey, Kitty, do you think you or any of the Cheerios might like to audition for a musical? We're doing 'Grease.' I'm going to direct it. That's what I do. Last year, I directed 'West Side Story.'"

"Well, Coach Sylvester rides us pretty hard," Kitty said, looking doubtful. "There's probably not gonna be time for us to do anything else. I'm lucky she even lets me work as a lifeguard."

"A few Cheerios have always done Glee club," Artie pressed on, knowing he should probably quit while he was ahead but persisting anyway. "And some of them did the musical last year, too. Like, you know Brittany, right? She's always done both Cheerios and Glee. And Quinn and Santana, but they graduated."

"Yes, I keep hearing about this Quinn," Kitty said, as her eyes widened and her brows went up. "Coach Sylvester keeps referring to me as 'the new Quinn.' I have her form, her technique, and her face, apparently. Coach says as long as I don't also have her teen pregnancy, we'll be in good shape."

Artie exchanged a look with Tina; they could both literally picture Coach Sylvester giving Kitty this exact speech.

"She's a friend of ours," Tina explained. "And... you do look a lot like her. Like Artie said, she was in Glee club. In fact, she even did a couple of solos in our competitions. If you're equally talented as a singer... you should join. We did just win Nationals."

Artie could tell it was costing Tina a lot to say this. On the one hand, of course they needed new talent if they wanted to make it to Nationals again this year, and with any luck, to win Nationals again this year. But Tina didn't want competition, especially not competition in the form of a new sophomore who looked like Quinn.

"Yeah, you did mention that the other day at the coffee shop. Maybe. I'll... think about it," Kitty said, noncommittally.

"Tell your friends," he urged her, trying not to sound too desperate. "About Glee Club and about 'Grease.' I plan to post the sign up sheets for the musical auditions the first week of school, maybe even the first day."

Before Kitty could respond, Bree came darting back in, breathlessly. "I moved my car!" she announced, taking her salad back from Kitty and flashing a huge smile in Artie's direction. "So, you don't have to worry about it now. We better hurry up and eat so we can get back to practice. It was nice talking to you!"

Bree tugged Kitty back towards the booths that the other Cheerios had claimed, on the other side of the restaurant. It was then that Artie fixed Tina with a look that he hoped clearly said stay out of my business, woman! (If he were still allowed to call her 'woman,' which she had pretty clearly forbidden in the middle of their freshman year.)

"What?" she asked, innocently.

"You know what," Artie said. "Why did you have to give that girl a hard time and make her move her car?"

"Excuse me?" Tina didn't get it. "You're actually mad at me for correcting her about the parking thing? I was standing up for you!"

"Yeah, because I clearly can't do it for myself," Artie said, rolling his eyes. He wasn't mad, exactly, but he needed to make a point. "I pick my battles, Tina, and that was not going to be one of them."

"Maybe I wasn't fighting a battle for you, Arthur," she said, using his full name because she knew he hated it. "Maybe I was doing that for the next disabled person who comes in the door. Maybe I care just as much as you do."

Artie sighed. Many times, more than he cared to count, he'd actually parked even further away, because all the accessible spaces were full. And they probably weren't all filled by people who needed them. He'd end up going clear to the other side of the lot and parking where he could be somewhat confident that no one would park beside him, thus preventing him from having the space he needed for loading and unloading. But he just didn't feel like fighting that fight each and every time, especially when it made him look bad in front of a couple of popular new girls.

I don't really want to fight about this," he admitted.

"Well, you started it," she shot back.

Artie didn't have a comeback for that, so instead, he swiped his spoon across the remaining whip cream in their dish and stuck it on her nose, sticking out his tongue at her. And then he unlocked his wheels, prepared to move out of the way, in case she retaliated.

"Hey, look, it's Mr. Schue and Ms. Pillsbury!" Tina exclaimed, as she swiped the sugary substance off her face and waved at them. "Hi!"

Their teachers probably didn't normally want to be spotted by students while out on an ice-cream date during the summer, but for Artie and Tina, they'd surely make an exception. With their own treats in hand - a Blizzard for Mr. Schue and a single-dip sundae for Ms. Pillsbury - they smiled as they made their way over to where Artie and Tina were.

"Heyyy, is this a date?" Ms. Pillsbury wanted to know. Maybe she'd seen Artie smear whipped cream on Tina's nose. Then she noticed Mr. Schuester's raised eyebrows in her direction. "Sorry, that's none of my business... but... you two were awfully cute together, once upon a time."

"That ship has sailed," Tina said, with a smile.

"And sank," Artie added, just as cheerfully. "To the bottom of the ocean."

"Well, it's nice to see you guys just the same," Mr. Schuester commented. "We were just talking about how we're looking forward to seeing everyone back for another year of Glee club. Well, not... everyone, of course. It's strange to think of Glee without Finn... Rachel... but-but we still have you guys!"

Mr. Schuester was trying to sound chipper and upbeat, as Ms. Pillsbury earnestly nodded in agreement. It was clear that they both thought the club was in trouble, having lost its stars.

"Mr. Schue, I'm really glad we ran into you," Artie said, not letting this opportunity pass him by. "I've decided I'd like to do a fall musical again. I'd like to start earlier this year, especially since the production I have in mind is so big. I want to do 'Grease.' I even have Finn and Kurt already committed to co-direct with me, since they're still around!" He paused and took a breath. "If I can have your blessing."

"Are you kidding, I love it!" Mr. Schuester exclaimed. "Yes, of course you can have my blessing, Artie. This will be a great resume boost for you, for film school."

"I've just sent off my application today," Artie informed him, pleased by his teacher's enthusiasm.

"Oh, good, that was going to be my next question," Ms. Pillsbury said. She clapped her hands. "I can't wait, Artie! And I'm glad to hear you've found some new co-directors, though Coach Beiste and I did love helping you last year. If you need anything, anything at all, please let us know."

"Thank you, I will," he told her. "Wow, Mr. Schue, I was kind of worried you might say this was going to interfere with Sectionals. So I already thought up a solution for that. You see, my next suggestion was going to be to have 'Grease' auditions double for Glee auditions. And then we could perform some of the 'Grease' numbers for Sectionals."

Mr. Schuester was speechless, clearly impressed by Artie having already thought everything through. Maybe, just maybe, he was the new Finn afterall. Wordlessly, Mr. Schue just gave him two very enthusiastic thumbs up.

"Keep those ideas coming," he said, patting Artie on the shoulder before he and Ms. Pillsbury went to find themselves a table away from the noisy bunch of Cheerios.

Tina was just staring at him again.

"What?" he asked.

"That's the third time today that someone has asked us if we're dating again," she pointed out. "Artie, look, you know I think you're great, but let's try to make it pretty clear to people that we aren't dating, okay? I mean, maybe sharing a dessert in public doesn't exactly help our case, I don't know. But we're both gonna find new people this year."

"I don't know if that's really my goal for senior year," Artie said, frowning. "Hopefully, there's someone out there for you at Brown and someone waiting for me in Brooklyn... or wherever it is I end up..." And, recalling what she said about the dessert, he added, "I'll finish this if it looks too weird for us to share."

He tugged the remainder of their banana split toward himself, but she tugged it right back, laughing.

"I didn't say that."