Rachel frowned ever so slightly as she watched Quinn escorting Marley into the lunchroom. Quinn had made it very clear that anyone who attempted to put a Nil in their place, would have to deal with her and by extension Charlie whenever she came back. It was the first time that Quinn had actually reminded everyone at McKinley that she was just as powerful as Charlie was. Sure, Santana had backed up Quinn's proclamation by reminding people like Karofsky and Azimio that the Nil's were part of the hero team, and they were fresh off a regional title win. McKinley's first, and if anyone fucked with the nils they'd have to deal with the wrath of the team.

"Over here Quinn!"

Rachel glances over at Tina who is currently waving them over, she wasn't sure when Tina and Quinn had become friends, but Quinn was moving with Marley and a few other students towards their table. She had expected a larger team, but only five people had transferred to McKinley and she was curious to know more about them. "It's good to see you again Marley."

Marley glanced over at Rachel for a moment before flashing her a smile, Rachel had rejected Quinn, she really had nothing to worry about. "Hey Rachel, thanks for getting your dad to switch up my schedule, so that I can help the team."

Rachel smiled, it was the least that she could do, they needed all the help that they could get and with a support team, maybe McKinley could finally become a nationally ranked team. "It was nothing, you're now a Titan, and I as well as everyone else on the team look forward to working with you and seeing what you guys come up with."

"That's great, Roderick over there, already thought of something that could help with your abilities." Marley nodded over to the big guy who was hanging back a bit.

"I mean I listen to a lot of music, and it just sort of made sense to create a pair of headphones that could filter out your voice, for when you learn to attack using your voice. We don't need any friendly fire."

Quinn took a seat at the table beside Marley, causing Santana to clear her throat. Quinn meets Santana's gaze, "I'm not moving."

"The table is for members of the Titans. You've made it clear that you want nothing to do with the team," Santana pointed out. There wasn't enough room for everyone if Quinn sat with them.

"You've literally never had a problem with it before."

"Charlie never had a problem with it before, but Charlie is currently suspended and she's not answering any text messages. Beiste put me in charge. I'm not saying that you can't sit us normally, but there isn't enough room right now, and I would like to get to know our new teammates. We all know who you are."

The temperature in the room drops suddenly, causing the entire support team to take a few steps back. Santana rolls her eyes and activates her own ability bringing the temperature back up. "Two can play at this game Quinn, and all I'm asking for is to get to know my new teammates. You can be away from your girlfriend for a few minutes, or is this some weird co-dependent shit?"

Quinn scowled and was about to respond when Marley gently placed a hand on hers, "It's just for today, we can spend the rest of the day together."

Quinn keeps her face neutral as she grabs her tray and gets up. This would never have happened if Charlie was there. In fact she was certain this had been the longest she and Charlie had been apart for in ages. It wasn't that she missed her twin, she just wished Charlie was around to bring Santana to heel. Still she was certain that Frannie had sent Charlie to live in Antarctica for a week, or she had murdered Charlie. Quinn pauses for a moment, maybe she should text Frannie to ask if she had murdered Charlie and just hadn't figured out a way to inform the family.

Santana shakes her head and rolls her eyes as she watches Quinn go. She was tempted to make a comment to Marley but decided against it, she needed this team running on all cylinders before Charlie came back. Everyone knew how she felt about support items, and while she agreed that there seemed to be an over reliance of them in the hero community, not everyone was going to be a hero and some students needed help now. "As the hobbit said, we're all happy to finally have a support team. I want you guys to know that if anyone gives you a hard time, feel free to let me or anyone else on the team know. So we can put a stop to it. I'm sure Beiste is hard at work on getting you guys uniforms, and figuring out how to get you guys the tools and things you need, while that's all being sorted out I think it's good if you guys attend our practices, and triage the situation."

"See who needs support the most and work with that person to get them ready?" Marley immediately clarifies.

Santana nodded, "Exactly, focus on those who really need your help first, and if and only if you have time start thinking of things that can help those that may not need as much support. Also tip, don't actually listen to what Charlie thinks of you guys, and if she's being—difficult, just let me know and I'll straighten her out. We're also going to have another tryout once Charlie comes back. I talked it over with Beiste and all the national teams have a second team that they can depend on. After we lost Lauren, I realized we at the least need alternates. So we're going to add 3 more people, they'll be alternates in case of injury and the like. I think having a support perspective is critical, to making sure we select the right people."

"What exactly are you looking for?" Roderick asked.

"Someone that you can help, someone that you can augment easily." Santana says glancing at Rachel for a moment, she really had been the driving force to get them some engineers. "Do you have anything else to add hobbit?"

Rachel paused for a moment, before shaking her head, Santana had really gone over everything that they needed to. "I don't think we really need to go over how important getting to Nationals is for us. The goal isn't to simply get to Nationals, we all want to win Nationals. There is no bigger stage than nationals which means that your inventions will be taking center stage."

"And you're certain you guys can get to nationals? Last time I checked McKinley wasn't a ranked school." Jane Hayward asks looking at Rachel.

"Yes," Santana said with a simple shrug.

"All you need to do is watch the footage from regionals," Tina offers. "The last bit, I heard that they need to rebuild the entire arena."

Santana rolled her eyes, they were merely reinforcing the arena, no one was going to tear it down. Charlie had mostly fixed everything on her own. Still they had taken a step forward to being a complete team, McKinley needed to think of a future without Charlie, and she hoped that this experiment would bear fruit.

~ O ~

"I don't quite understand why we're here," Russell said, placing his hands on the table and staring down the Zizes family, their lawyer seemed expensive. Further proving that this was an attack on his family. He would need to do some digging to see who was bankrolling this. "Not only does the school have a waiver, and you were explicitly warned that serious injuries could occur, your daughter challenged my daughter, knowing that she was more than likely concussed."

"Lauren is not—"

"Even if she didn't realize that Charlie was concussed, she must have realized that something was wrong." Russell interrupts the lawyer, narrowing his eyes. "Your daughter lost a fight, which she picked. Those facts aren't in question. You barely have a case against the school, no jury let alone sane judge will allow this to clog up our legal system. So I ask the question again, Mr. and Mrs. Zizes why are we here?"

"Because your daughter tortured and maimed our daughter," Kevin Zizes snapped, glaring at Russell. "She won't leave her room!"

"The fight by all accounts was over in under a minute. Charlie's abilities do not affect time last time I checked, and once again—Charlie was defending herself. Why are we here?" Russell repeats in a bored tone.

"I think they want some money," Judy says. Her eyes were locked on Heather Zizes. She understood the look on Heather's face, how could she not. But at this moment, she was the enemy, she had attacked one of her children.

"Just to fix her face, she'll never get a date to prom, with a massive scar on her face," Heather responds, dabbing at her eyes.

Russell rolled his eyes, "I'm pretty sure that's not the reason—"

"Russell," Judy snapped at her soon to be ex-husband.

Russell shot a look at his wife, "That your daughter won't get a date to the prom," Russell finished his thought.

At this Kevin jumped to his feet, shoving the table hard, and splintering some of the wood. "What's that supposed to mean?"

"Her personality was awful," Russell points out with a knowing smirk. "Also we're not going to pay you," there was a smugness in his tone as he leaned back in his chair. "You don't have a case, and while we give generously to charity, this isn't a charity that either me or my wife support. This is the definition of a frivolous lawsuit, and more importantly you don't have a case. If you want to continue throwing money at this, you can talk to our many lawyers. I suppose they need to earn the hefty retainer that I paid them."

Judy pushed her chair back and stood up, this conversation was clearly over. "I'm sorry about what happened to your daughter, but perhaps if she hadn't been jealous of my daughter, this wouldn't have happened." It's all she needs to say, they wouldn't be getting a penny from her, and while she wasn't a happy camper that Charlie had disfigured Lauren, she was glad that they hadn't revealed Brittany to the family. She would have to send a thank you to Santana for help facilitating Brittany's healing. They had managed to go in and out without being noticed. She was still furious at the school for suspending Charlie, but at least that would be over soon, and things could finally return back to normal.

Heather Zizes pushed her chair back, "Your daughter lost her arm, and it got replaced. Everyone was talking about it, so you must know a healer who could fix her face. Please a name, we'll pay them anything they want."

Judy hesitates for a moment, Brittany could easily fix Lauren's face, but before she can say anything or make a decision, she feels Russell place his hand on her waist and guides her out of the room.

~ O ~

"What are you doing?"

Charlie looked up from where she was sitting on the couch with a massive bowl of popcorn that had candy in it, and gestured to the television with a fist filled with popcorn, "I'm watching tape of Charlotte Flair in action."

Dani quirked a brow upward, even as she tossed her bag onto the couch and hopped on beside Charlie. "You're taking this seriously."

Charlie shoves the popcorn candy mix into her mouth and chews. "Charlotte Flair is a level 5—the strongest level 5 in America. At least officially. I'd be an idiot if I didn't think this seriously, she has years of experience that I'm lacking. She's fought actual supervillains, she's fought monsters, aliens—there is a reason she's earned the moniker the queen."

"Charlotte Flair is a level 5 like me. She's currently the strongest level 5 in America, at least officially anyway. The reality is that she has years of experience on me, she's fought actual supervillains, she's fought monsters, aliens—there is a reason they call her the queen. She's everything I'm not, a true genius. I had to work hard to become as strong as I am, and I'm still one of the weakest members in my family," Charlie admits with a sigh.

"Really you're one of the weaker members of your family?" Dani questions in disbelief.

"Strictly based on ability, if Quinn wanted to be a hero, she'd be everyone's first pick. If Quinn put in even a quarter of the effort I put into it, she'd be unstoppable. Brittany's abilities are probably the most sought after, generally speaking, and I'm pretty sure Frannie is the key to the United States military quick deployment strategy. Don't get me wrong, I am not weak. I just have to work super hard at it, while they don't. If Charlotte Flair is just as talented as my family is, then I'm in for a fight."

Dani watches the screen for a moment watching the 4 horsewomen for a moment, "I think it's a mistake to be looking past all the other teams that stand in your way, you know I might be the one to face her."

Charlie glanced at Dani for a moment before returning her attention back to the screen, "I'm not going to put myself in a box to make you look good."

Dani rolled her eyes, "I don't need you to make me look good, I know that I'm good. I'm on Summit's radar and my agent is in talks to get me onto the Olympic super team." Dani replied, looking at Charlie carefully. This was new, Charlie always held back. It really was the best way to beat her, "Since when do you try?"

"Since I realized that I shouldn't feel bad for being stronger than everyone else." Charlie's lips quirk upward as she thinks of Santana. She probably should try and sneak back into Frannie's office, so she could grab her phone which was probably dead. She should probably try and check in with Quinn and the rest of her family, and maybe Frannie wasn't angry anymore. It was unlikely given how hormonal Frannie was, but she was certain that she could break into Frannie's office without being seen.

Dani narrowed her eyes for a moment before shrugging. "Charlie, have you thought this through. Even if you make it to nationals, even if you win nationals, you know what everyone will say. McKinley isn't a ranked team, this is the first time in the history of the school that they made it past regionals. Any of the top schools would take you in a heartbeat. You could actually have backup. McKinley is a loser school, it's in the middle of nowhere, they don't have facilities, that's why they're coming here so they can use ours. You're going to be a top hero, you should have the pedigree behind you. Charlotte Flair went to the very best schools, she went to Summit, she graduated at the top of her class. She worked in the best facilities in the world, you're wasting your gifts there."

"You're wrong."

"What?" Dani questions looking at Charlie.

"You're wrong about McKinley," Charlie repeats looking at Dani. "They've got talent, probably more talent than they know what to do with. The issue is that they didn't have the right coach, and years of being told that they aren't worth anything has only proved to be a self-fulfilling prophecy. They didn't need me to get to Sectionals, both Lauren and Santana eliminated more people than I did, and had Lauren taken a leadership role on the team instead of trying to show off, we would have achieved a perfect score in the first competition. Which means both Santana and Lauren achieved perfect scores on their own. They aren't polished by any means and I'm sure you'll kick their ass this weekend, but losing isn't something to be ashamed of. It should only be fuel to do better next time."

Dani's brow furrowed as she looked over Charlie, something had changed. Charlie had never been good with teams. "We'll see."

~ O ~

"Are you certain that you can handle this Santana? Because if you can't then we can wait until next week when Charlie's back."

"We aren't going to have anyone trying out if Charlie's the one standing in front of them. Half the student body is scared shitless of Charlie. Those same people are afraid of me as well, but there are plenty of people who want to kick my ass, and this gives them the opportunity." Santana explains her reasoning. "Plus, we need to start building a team without Charlie in mind. The only reason she cares is because at Nationals this year, she gets to go against a member of the 4 horsewomen. She gets to face Charlotte Flair, that's what is driving her. That won't be the case next year, and you can't blackmail her again."

Shannon frowned at the point that Santana had made. She was right, there was no guarantee that Charlie would spend her senior year on the team. And there was a good chance that at the end of this year, new rules would be put in place to prevent Charlie from competing again. There had been many objections to Charlie's role on the team, but since there had never been a level 5 competing before, this was a first. "You may have a point, but I would like to think that even if Charlie isn't going to compete that she's building bonds with the rest of the team, so she might want to help out." Within two years, both Santana and Charlie would have graduated, she needed to think of the future, and if Charlie wasn't on the team next year, then Santana would be the Titan's next captain. "The goal is to test their abilities, it's not to hurt them," Shannon reminded Santana.

"I know, the support team will be watching in the bleachers to get a good idea so they'll have a list of people who they think that they can augment and we'll compare that list with the list of people who impressed," Santana said as she stretched.

"Sounds good," Beiste agrees and heads out to the field to take a look at the people who are gathered and pauses when she sees a familiar face. "Quinn?"

Santana pauses mid stretch and looks up at Beiste before heading out to check the field and sure enough Quinn is currently standing in the middle of the field with a few other students, "Quinn what the hell are you doing here? You don't want to be a hero, and you think this entire thing is silly."

"It is silly," Quinn agrees, tearing her eyes away from her phone and looking up at Santana. "So I just have to kick your ass and I get to be on the alternate team? I should probably go last then, I mean we both know how this is going to end up, and you still have to test everyone else here."

Santana scowled as she erupted in flames causing nearly everyone else who was nearby to take a few steps back, but the display didn't seem to phase Quinn who went back to looking at her phone. Santana takes a deep breath calming herself down, "This isn't about the team, this is about you wanting to spend more time with Marley isn't it."

"Got it in one. Marley's busy with the team, the Titans are taking up all of her free time, which means that to spend time with my girlfriend I have to join this team."

Santana hadn't actually expected Quinn to admit that she was only doing this because of Marley, but now that she had, she could use it to her advantage. "Seriously? When Charlie kept bitching about how no one in her family knew anything about relationships I thought she was insane, she clearly has intimacy issues on top of her commitment issues. But clearly she's right about your family's lack of skill when it comes to relationships. This—" Santana gestures her hand around Quinn. "—this isn't attractive."

"And what would you know about that?" Quinn scoffed. "You like Charlie."

Santana rolled her eyes, she had no idea why Quinn would think of that as an insult. "Charlie is exceptional at getting me off Quinn. We're not dating, Charlie doesn't date, she's made that abundantly clear and I'm fine getting an itch scratched on my terms. Also in case you haven't noticed Charlie's the one that follows me around I don't follow her, and even though she's the one following me around, she still hasn't hit this level of pathetic Quinn."

This finally causes the temperature to drop as Quinn finally puts her phone away, and glares at Santana. "You want to repeat that?"

"I shouldn't have too, this was the same shit that you tried to pull with Rachel and we both know how that turned out. Find your own hobby Quinn, and figure out a schedule with your girlfriend. I mean this shit isn't complicated, and what you're doing isn't romantic, it's just weird and possessive."

Quinn smiled, the only people who could talk to her like that were her siblings and she wasn't going to take it from Santana fucking Lopez. "I'm going to enjoy kicking your ass."

"Bring it on tubbers," Santana sneered.