Ladies and gentleman, we are finally BACK with a new chapter of Season Five, Starring Cory Monteith. I know it's been a while, and I apologize once again. If you didn't see the last "chapter," I explained that life has basically gotten in the way of my writing of this story. Now that I've gotten some more free time, I finally sat down to continue this adventure. I appreciate everyone's patience, as well as their eagerness for the story to continue (I see the reviews!), so here we go! Enjoy!
TRIGGER WARNING: This episode of Season Five, Starring Cory Monteith contains references to abuse and abusive situations (physical, verbal, sexual, and emotional).
Episode 5x08: Movin' Out (Part Two)
Synopsis: Billy Joel week continues as Puck (Mark Salling) travels to Yale to see Quinn (Dianna Agron), while Finn struggles to admit the truth about his relationship status to Rachel, and Blaine comes to terms with his collegiate future. Back in Lima, Artie continues to help Becky (Lauren Potter) navigate her future, now with the encouragement of Sue Sylvester, while Jake finally faces the music and talks to Marley about Bree (Erinn Westbrook).
{The episode opens with a majority of the New Directions sitting in Mr. Schuester's history class. As the music begins to play, Ryder begins to drift off, but is quickly awaken by the vocalization of Mr. Schue}
[Mr. Schue]
Harry Truman, Doris Day
Red China, Johnnie Ray
South Pacific, Walter Winchell
Joe DiMaggio
(Ryder looks to Jake, confused, as Sugar is shown nodding her head along}
[Mr. Schue]
Joe McCarthy, Richard Nixon
Stubebaker, Television
North Korea, South Korea
Marilyn Monore
{The rest of the class begins to dance subtly as Joe stands up to interject}
[Joe]
Rosenbergs, H-bomb
Sugar Ray, Panmunjom
[Ryder]
Brando, The King and I
And the Catcher in the Rye
Eisenhower, vaccine
England's got a new queen
[Joe and Ryder]
Marciano, Liberace
Santayana, goodbye
{The entire class stands up as the classroom bursts into song and dance}
[Mr. Schue and New Directions]
We didn't start the fire
It was always burning since the world's been turning
We didn't start the fire
No, we didn't light it
But we tried to fight it
{The scene cuts to Mr. Schue and the New Directions walking down the hallway}
[Unique]
Joseph Stalin, Malenkov
Nasser and Prokofiev
Rockefeller, Campanella
Communist Bloc
{Unique and Tina butt bump as they, with the rest of the New Directions, enter the auditorium}
[Tina]
Roy Cohn, Juan Peron
Toscanini, Dacron
Dien Bien Phu Falls
Rock Around the Clock
[Unique]
Einstein, James Dean
Brooklyn's got a winning team
[Unique and Marley]
Davey Crockett, Peter Pan
Elvis Presley, Disneyland
{The New Directions take the stage}
[Tina]
Bardot, Budapest
Alabama, Khrushchev
Princess Grace, Peyton Place
Trouble in the Suez
[Mr. Schue and New Directions]
We didn't start the fire
It was always burning since the world's been turning
We didn't start the fire
No, we didn't light it
But we tried to fight it
{Ryder takes center stage}
[Ryder]
Birth control, Ho Chi Minh
Richard Nixon back again
Moonshot, Woodstock
Watergate, punk rock
Begin, Reagan, Palestine
Terror on the airline
Ayatollahs in Iran
Russians in Afghanistan
[Joe and Ryder]
Wheel of Fortune, Sally Ride
Heavy metal suicide
Foreign debts, homeless vets
AIDS, crack, Bernie Goetz
[Tina]
Hypodermics on the shores
China's under martial law
[Marley and Unique]
Rock and Roller cola wars
[Mr. Schue]
I can't take it anymore
{Mr. Schue and the New Directions begin to sing and dance across the auditorium stage}
[Mr. Schue and New Directions]
We didn't start the fire
It was always burning since the world's been turning
We didn't start the fire
But when we are gone
It will still burn on, and on
And on, and on
We didn't start the fire
It was always burning since the world's been turning
We didn't start the fire
No, we didn't light it
But we tried to fight it
We didn't start the fire
The number concluded, with everyone in the glee club cheering and celebrating together, as Mr. Schue claps his hands together and laughed, exclaiming, "Another week of Billy Joel!"
"Artie Abrams, wheel your butt to my office now." The words of Sue Sylvester over the school's intercom sent chills down Artie's spine, which didn't leave his body even after he wheeled himself from the auditorium and entered the cheerleading coach's quarters. Any joy displayed in his face after We Didn't Start the Fire vanished once he was in Sue's presence. She sat in her chair and stared at him with pure rage, motioning for him to come to her desk. He closed the door behind him and wheeled over to her desk as she revealed to him a green rubber ear syringe. "I went to my pharmacy and took the liberty of purchasing you a good old fashioned ear douche, because you obviously didn't hear me when I distinctly told you, with perfect diction and great clarity, to stop meddling in the affairs of one Becky Jackson."
Artie gulped, but ultimately decided to defend his decision. "Coach Sylvester, Becky told me herself she wants to go to college, and there's no reason why she can't."
"How dare you lecture me!" Sue scolded him, offended. "You don't think I know that? You don't think I contacted each and every school, and quizzed them endlessly about their programs?"
"Then why aren't you helping her?"
"Because she's not ready!" She snapped.
"Maybe you're not ready." Artie Abrams was a frail band geek when he entered William McKinley High School, but in his senior year, he sat tall and argued with one of the deadliest forces in Ohio. "I know you love Becky like a daughter, and you want to protect her. I get it, because of what you've been through, but you have to let her go. There's a really good program for students with down syndrome at the University of Cincinnati. I'm going to take her there for a tour; her parents already gave me permission. It's only two hours for here, and it will be really easy to visit." He proudly unlocked his wheels and turned around, beginning to exit her office confidently.
"Mr. Abrams."
Reluctantly, Artie turned around, to see Sue with a much softer expression on her face.
"Ask tough questions," she began. "Is there wifi on campus? Do all freshman gain 20 pounds from cafeteria food? I want a full report when you get back."
With a soft smile, Artie nodded and left her office. He knew Sue was struggling to let Becky go; she reminded her so much of Jean, and even of her daughter Robin, so she treated Becky like family. However, going off to college and finding yourself is apart of growing up. Artie had recently came to this realization, and Sue did at some point as well. It was time Becky did the same, and Artie was happy that Sue was now encouraging it.
{The scene cuts to Puck as he sat in the backseat of a bus}
Voiceover: Puck
An hour drive from Lima to Dayton. An hour and a half flight from Dayton to New York. And now, a two and a half hour bus ride from New York to Yale. If you told the Noah Puckerman from three years ago that he'd be traveling all over the northeastern side of America for the chance of a girl, he'd probably call you a bitch and suggest you look up Internet porn if you were that desperate to get off.
But that was the old me.
I haven't seen her since Mr. Schue's almost wedding, and we barely even talked. Nothing more than a quick hello, considering she was with Santana most of the time. She didn't get a chance to see how much I've changed. A solid relationship with my brother, consistently staying out of trouble, working on a screenplay, even a part-time gig at Burt's tire shop. Noah Puckerman is an adult now, and finally, I began to act like one. There was only one thing missing, and that was her.
I saw Beth. She may someday gain the personality of another Rachel Berry, and even though that would probably suck, the good news is that she looks like her mom. Her biological mom, that is. I like to try and suppress a lot of my past and move forward, but there's always one detail that I can't seem to get out of my head. Her.
{Puck looks out the window as the bus continues down the highway}
She stood on the tracks, waving her arms
Leading me to that third rail, shock!
Quick as a wink, she changed her mind
She gave me a night, that's all it was
What will it take until I stop
Kidding myself, wasting my time?
Whoa
{The scene cuts to a fantasy of Puck playing the piano while the glee club band plays backup}
There's nothing else I can do
'Cause I'm doing it all for Leyna
I don't want anyone new
'Cause I'm living it all for Leyna
There's nothing in it for you
'Cause I'm giving it all to Leyna
{The scene cuts to the bus stopping in the heart of Yale's campus}
We laid on the beach watching the tide
She didn't tell me there were rocks
{Puck gets off the bus and begins to walk through campus}
Under the waves, right off the shore
Washed up on the sand, barely alive
Wishing the undertow would stop
How can a man take anymore?
Whoa
{The scene cuts back to Puck's fantasy as he plays the piano, while Finn plays the drums behind him}
There's nothing else I can do
'Cause I'm doing it all for Leyna
I don't want anyone new
'Cause I'm living it all for Leyna
There's nothing in it for you
'Cause I'm giving it all to Leyna
{The scene cuts to Puck walking up to an apartment door}
All for Leyna
All for Leyna
All for Leyna
{Puck knocks on the door as the song ends}
The door opened to reveal Quinn Fabray. She had her hair in a messy bun and a bowl of Ramen in hand, wearing sweatpants and a big t-shirt. The sight of Puck made her eyes widen as she nearly dropped her bowl. "Puck?"
Finn sat in a booth at the Spotlight Diner with Kurt and Sam as the three got lunch. Rachel was at her Funny Girl rehearsals, while Blaine was at his NYADA audition and Santana was at home taking a nap. He was incredibly nervous to talk to Rachel about the whole Penny situation; when he arrived at her apartment he just gave her a brief hello as she was already running late, and as he had been told, she only just got on Miriam Reign's good side, so she had to hit the ground running.
"This is nice," Sam spoke up, taking a sip of his water. "The three of us, back together again and stuff." When Sam returned to Lima during Finn and Kurt's senior year, he stayed with them for the year. After they graduated, Sam's parents moved back to town to allow for Sam to finish his senior year at McKinley. "It's like, a brotherly reunion, and I'm the honorary brother. Hug me, brotha!" He said in a different voice, leading Kurt to look at him confused. "Drake and Josh? Did you not watch Nickelodeon, Kurt?"
"I spent my childhood watching the Hallmark channel," Kurt responded as he put a napkin on his lap, motioning for the two to do the same. "So, Sam, have you given any more thought to the whole modeling thing?"
He nodded. "Well, considering both of my dads are the walking definition of blue collar, I'm going to continue to work hard everyday to achieve my goals. I know I look good, and I don't have to change that for nobody!"
"I'm sorry, both of your dads? I've met your parents, and one of them is 100% a woman."
"I was referring to your dad!" Sam said happily as he took another sip of his water. "He was like, my adoptive dad, like Finn!"
"I think you mean father figure," Kurt chuckled, glancing over to his right at Finn, who was staring off into space.
It was great to see his brother, but all Finn could think about was the whole Rachel/Penny situation. After his talk with Shelby, his mind was going in a million different directions at once. Was he still in love with Rachel? Was he only with Penny to fill a void? Was Rachel seeing Brody again, or another guy entirely? What did Finn want in his life, and what was he expecting out of this trip other than moral support for Puck? His mind probably would've kept going in circles if the snapping of his brother's fingers didn't bring him back to reality. "What?"
As he exited his trance, he found not only Kurt and Sam staring at them, but their waitress, who just so happened to be Dani. "Do you know what you want to eat?" She asked with a small smile.
"Oh... uh, a grilled cheese is fine."
She nodded and wrote it down before walking away. Kurt looked to Finn and asked, "Are you feeling okay?"
Finn nodded, quickly changing the subject. "So, you said you had a friend who worked here?"
"Yeah, Dani. That was her," Kurt said sassily, crossing his legs. "She's Santana's new girlfriend."
"She's moved on from Brittany?" He said with a blink.
Kurt nodded. "Mhm. Moved on, like a certain someone I know..." As if reading his brother's mind, Kurt instantly got to the point. "I'm sure Penny is nice, but I saw the way you looked at Rachel, okay? There is still some kind of spark there, but you need to-"
"Tell her about Penny. I know."
"You haven't told Rachel about her?" Sam gasped as he crunched on the complementary fries they received. Perks of Kurt's employee discount.
"I'm going to..." Finn mumbled.
Kurt cleared his throat. "Finn, I love you, but you owe it to both of them to talk to Rachel."
"Look, I know that, but what if I still have feelings for Rachel?"
"I don't doubt that," Kurt put it bluntly as he patted his brother's shoulder. "But maybe once you talk to Rachel you'll know for sure. I'm going to support you no matter what; if you choose Rachel, great! But from what you've told me, Penny is great too... and you've only really been with Rachel and Quinn. She deserves a fair chance, don't you think?" He could tell his brother's emotions were getting the best of him, so he continued, "Look, you don't need to make a decision right now. I want you to be happy, and I think by talking to Rachel you will gain a sense of clarity that will help you navigate your complicated emotions. You'll figure it out, don't worry."
"You're like a love doctor, dude," Sam whispered gently.
As Kurt and Sam continued to make small talk, Finn's eyes once again stared into space as he truly pondered his options. What did he want?
It was a beautiful day at the University of Cincinnati. Campus was lively, the sun was shining... a perfect day for a tour. "Becky, our goal here at the University of Cincinnati is to make college life as inclusive as possible," said the tour guide.
Becky looked around at an environment that looked warm and welcoming; an environment that she wouldn't mind surrounding herself in. She looked to Artie, who gave her a supportive smile, as even he was impressed with campus!
The three made their way into a classroom, as the tour guide explained, "This is one of our independent living classes. Students are working on bill paying and budgeting their money." She quickly got the attention of the class by saying, "Everybody? This is Becky Jackson. She's thinking of coming here!"
"Don't! This place sucks!" One of the students spoke up, quickly catching the attention of Becky and Artie, before he quickly retracted his statement by saying, "Just kidding. I love it here." His comment was met by applause and laughter from his fellow students who, like Becky, all had down syndrome.
"Is that your boyfriend?" A female student asked Becky, motioning to Artie.
"Artie? Hell no, he got herpes!"
"Ew!" The female student replied, hiding behind her hands.
"Just for the record," Artie spoke up, "I don't have herpes."
"Hey, Becky, I think you're very funny, and you're very beautiful!" The male student spoke again, looking at her with a smile.
"Tell me something I don't know," Becky responded with sass. "Oh, snap!" She snapped her fingers, which again, made the entire class burst into laughter. Even Artie and the tour guide cracked a smile.
"Becky, would you like to stay and watch the class?" The tour guide asked.
"Yeah, you can sit next to me," The male student added.
Becky looked to Artie, as if she was asking for approval or permission. Artie gave her a comforting smile and nodded his head. She hesitated before leaving Artie's side, but she eventually made her way to the male student and took a seat next to him. As she sat, he placed his arm around her chair, but she quickly scooted away.
The whole point of their trip to Cincinnati was for her to get a hands-on experience exploring her options for college. This trip wasn't for Artie - it was for her, and if this was something she wanted to experience, she should. Artie smiled again, proudly, as he watched Becky take a step out of her comfort zone to see if college truly was for her.
"How is Beth?"
Quinn made herself and her guest a cup of coffee in her little kitchenette as Puck sat in the living room, looking around her Yale apartment. He knew she was always meant for bigger things than Lima. She was smart, beautiful, talented... she could make it big virtually anywhere in the world, which is why he was so nervous to come see her in the first place. Ever since graduation, Quinn left Lima and didn't look back. She returned for Thanksgiving and Mr. Schue's wedding, but that was it; her past as a Cheerio, a member of the New Directions, a mother, and Puck's former flame were, for all intensive purposes, put behind her. Sure, "Quick" still talked every so often, but it hadn't been the same in a while. Was he wasting his time here?
"She's great," Puck responded, repressing his thoughts of worry. "Still looks just like you. Super smart, super cute. Funny kid."
"Well, she sounds more like a Fabray than a Puckerman," she teased, playfully pushing Puck and sitting down next to him. She placed the two cups of coffee on the table as she turned on the TV to briefly watch the news.
Puck was surprised by this. "You watch the news?"
"I like to be aware of what's going on in the world," Quinn responded in an almost sophisticated tone. "So, how's the University of Lima? Finn still keeping you in line?"
Puck snorted. "Baby, I'm keeping him in line. I'm just auditing a few classes, so most of my time is dedicated to making sure he does his homework and is on time to meetings with Mr. Schue and glee rehearsal. I'm mature now. Basically Yale material!"
"I can see by the full set of hair you've got going. Very Ivy League of you!" Quinn giggled. The sound of her laugh brought back memories to Puck, as for one of the first times in his life, his heart skipped a beat. He almost zoned out staring at her, but snapped back as she continued to talk. "I'm glad you and Finn are in each other's corners. But, what about you? What else have you been up to?"
"Well, Jake and I are still on good terms, and I've been writing this screenplay. Maybe it'll go Hollywood one day and Artie will direct it."
"Keeping yourself busy, I see!" She smiled as she took a sip of her coffee. "Wow, this is a much different Noah Puckerman than I'm used to."
"We've all got to grow up sometime, right?" He glanced over at her. "I mean, you did, right?"
After taking another sip of her coffee, Quinn put her mug down. "I've been thriving here, Noah. Straight A's, all-female secret societies, prepping for an internship... this is where I belong. It's where I've always belonged."
Hearing that last part stung just a little, but he continued trying to make conversation. "Any social life? Extracurriculars? Maybe a glee club?"
Quinn giggled again. "Not glee club, but I have joined a few organizations. Getting myself out there, you know?"
"Well, that's great, Quinn. I'm really happy for you, but I've gotta be honest, I miss you."
Quinn smiled sweetly. "Well, I miss you too!"
Puck shook his head. "No, I mean-"
Before he could confess his love, a knock on the door was heard by the two of them. Quinn stood up, confused as to who could be there, as she walked over and answered. She quickly squealed, and as Puck turned around, his heart sank. There Quinn stood, hugging and kissing another man, in the doorway. His worst nightmare just came true.
However, like he always did, he remained cool, calm, and collected. "Who's this?"
Quinn turned as she walked back in with her new friend. "Puck, this is my boyfriend, Biff McIntosh."
"Like the apple?"
"Yeah, exactly like it." Biff responded in a preppy, 'I'm too good for you' tone. "My family planted the first McIntosh apple orchard in Pennsylvania, so every time you have one of our apples, we get a nickel." He laughed snootily.
Quinn, instantly recognizing the awkward tension in the room, spoke up when Puck didn't respond to Biff's laugh. "Biff, this is my very old, dear, dear friend, Noah Puckerman."
He stared at Puck, studying him. "Puck. Puckerman, is that Jewish?"
In disbelief, Puck glanced to Quinn. "She never told you about me? How long you guys been going out?"
"About three months!" Quinn said nervously.
"Quinn doesn't really like to talk about her past, as boring as she claims it might be, but it's nice to meet you, Mr. Puckerman," Biff extended his hand to shake Puck's. As he shook it, Biff clearly seemed disinterested. He glanced over to Quinn and smiled. "Sweetie, this is the first I've seen or heard of your life in Lima. If you want to meet Mother, I have to really get to know you first."
"You call your mother, Mother?" Puck asked with a raised eyebrow.
Quinn blurted out, "Biff and I have to get to class. You're welcome to hang out here until I get back... it's been great talking to you, Puck!" She managed awkwardly before grabbing Biff by the wrist and pulling him out of the apartment, closing the door behind her.
As he watched them leave, Puck flopped onto the couch, staring up at the ceiling as he hoped and prayed this wasn't the closure he seeked.
Later that day in the Bushwick apartment, Kurt waited in his room for Blaine to return from his NYADA audition. He was letting Santana finish her nap, as she got cranky when she didn't get enough "Snixx sleep," as she called it, and was letting Finn and Sam hang out and watch basketball in the living room. In reality, he was trying to stay away from Finn to force him to confront Rachel when she returned from rehearsal, but it just so happened that the Knicks and Cavaliers were playing, and Finn was a huge Cavs fan. He sat on his bed, leg folded as he flipped through the latest issue of Vogue when Blaine finally walked in. Instantly, Kurt looked up with his eyes wide. "Well, how did it go? What did Madame Tibideaux have to say? You were there for quite some time."
"I thought it went great..." Blaine began, closing the curtain behind him and placing his satchel on the ground, taking a seat at the edge of Kurt's bed.
"And?"
A huge sigh from Blaine. "I didn't get in."
Kurt gasped. "What?"
"I-I performed Piano Man, which played to all my strengths and everything," Blaine explained, "but Miss Tibideaux rejected me. She said-"
Kurt scooted over towards his boyfriend and put his hand in Blaine's. "Let's not dwell on the past. You tried, and gave it your all as you always do. Let's get back on track and find out your next move."
"You're not upset I won't be going to NYADA?"
Kurt kissed his cheek. "Blaine, I think you're a terrific performer, but you said it yourself; you have other interests besides singing and dancing. I don't want to be some sort of anchor, holding you down as you dream of other passions. I am here to support you." He patted Blaine's leg. "So, what's next on the agenda?"
Blaine smiled gently and rested his head on Kurt's shoulder. "Well, part of the reason I took so long to get back was because I explored NYU a little bit. Got a last minute spot on a tour and found out a bit more about the social work program. I think I'm going to apply."
"That's the spirit!" Kurt pecked his boyfriend on the lips, before flopping onto the bed and reaching over to his nightstand, grabbing his laptop, and opening it up before handing it to Blaine. "I'm with you every step of the way. I love you."
"I love you too, Kurt," Blaine smiled once again. "I can't wait to be out here in New York with you." Blaine was super nervous of the future; graduating high school and things like that, but the confidence that Kurt had in him made him feel a lot better about what was coming up. He was convinced Kurt wanted him to be a NYADA-driven, artsy student for the rest of his life like he and Rachel were, but thankfully, Kurt was supportive and passionate about Blaine stepping out of his comfort zone to explore different opportunities. The two began to work on the NYU application, happily, when Sam walked in. "Hey, Sam! You get bored of basketball?"
"I left because Santana came out and wanted to talk to Finn."
Finn and Santana sat awkwardly in the living room together, the basketball game on in the background. The last time they talked was when Santana had him come to New York to beat up Brody, and that was when Finn was openly head-over-heels for Rachel. Now, things weren't... as open. "So... uh, new girlfriend, huh?"
"Cut the crap, Double Stuf, are you gonna tell Berry about your side chick or what?"
Finn instantly turned to face her. "Wait, you know? Who told you, Kurt?"
"No!"
"Yes!" Kurt called from his room.
Santana shrugged. "My Mexican third eye told me, Lady Hummel just confirmed it." She admitted, as she stood from where she was sitting and made her away over to Finn, sitting down next to him on the couch. "Listen. You owe it to her to tell her. You've clearly moved on, so she deserves the closure."
"Yeah yeah, I know. I've heard it from Puck, Shelby, Kurt, you-"
"Then why are you being such a candy ass about this?" She barked, crossing her leg. "I mean, talking to Rachel while you're with this other girl? This just screams sophomore year to me. Let me guess, she's a cheerleader who likes to dye her hair and experiment with other girls?"
"What do you care?" Finn retorted. "You barely even like Rachel, let alone me. And if I recall correctly, you gave Brittany so much crap when she tried to move on with Sam, so who are you to tell me about moving on a-and closure and all that?"
She pursed her lips before responding. "Point taken, but the difference between you and I is my growth. Firstly, I do like Rachel. You don't know half of the crap we've been through together since we moved out here, considering you ghosted her and then waltzed back into her life unannounced, expecting her to drop everything like a bad habit just because the mighty Finn Hudson arrived. And I get you still have feelings for her, which brings me to my second point. I love Brittany so much that I backed off of her and Sam, because we were at different stages of our lives, and the way I was still holding onto her sweet, ditzy love wasn't fair to either of us." She glanced up at Finn before continuing, "Officially letting Britt go was one of the hardest things I've had to do. Well, besides being outed by you, but I digress. Letting her go allowed her to find herself, since now she's some kind of sexy Stephen Hawking, and it allowed me to find myself, as a rainbow flag-wielding Hispanic goddess who serves as an anchor for her Jewish girl, and equally as gay, roommates. And now I date a girl who's just as great as Brittany." She put a hand on Finn's shoulder. "As hard as this is, you've got to do it."
Finn blinked. He didn't respond right away, which is what Santana figured would happen. But, eventually, he did. "So is the door closed on you and Brittany now?"
Santana shrugged. "Not necessarily. I'm always going to leave that door open; she was my first love, and if we cross paths again and the time is right, we'll click together again like we always do. But I'm not going to spend my life going back and forth on the what if's. Britt is doing her thing for now, and I'm doing mine."
Finn once again sat in silence, deep in thought, before his response. "I don't want to hurt her. Not again."
"Then I guess you know what to do, don't you?"
"This is going to suck."
She rolled her eyes as she stood up. "Yeah, it will, but it's the right thing to do." She put it bluntly before she smiled softly at Finn and began to walk away.
"Hey, Santana?" He called as she turned around. "I just want to thank you. Everybody has been telling me the same thing you just did, but you really helped put it into perspective for me. So... thank you."
"It's what I do best," Santana winked before walking away once again.
"And one more thing," Finn stood up, scratching the back of his neck nervously. "I never got to apologize for outing you."
"Well, you can sing me another slowed-down version of a Cyndi Lauper song and we'll be squared away, Backstreet Boy."
"Santana, I'm serious." He walked over to her as she instantly stopped the typical Santana Lopez humor and stared at him. "I took your schoolyard insults to heart and I tried to attack you where I knew you couldn't fight back. Yeah, the stuff you said to me was unwarranted and hurtful, but I took it a step too far. It changed your life, and maybe things have worked itself out now, but at the time I really screwed things up for you. I'm glad we're cool now but, Santana, I just want you to know that saying those things to you is one of the biggest things I regret in my life." He looked at her and half-smiled. "I-I think about it a lot and it eats me up inside. So I just wanted to thank you for your advice on this whole Rachel/Penny situation, and I wanted to apologize to you for what I did. Sincerely."
With tears in her eyes, she did what Finn least expected; she hugged him. "I'm sorry too. A lot of what you said at the time was true... I was a bully. And I was tearing other people down to hide the fact that I was tearing myself down inside. It wasn't the most ideal way to come to terms with my sexuality... but I've made it work since then. Hearing you apologize for that means a lot to me, Finn, even now. Thank you."
The two old friends embraced; without realizing it, the two gave each other some much needed closure on their respective lives.
As the bell rang, Marley found herself walking into what she thought was an empty choir room; instead, Jake sat at the piano, waiting for her. She instantly turned to walk out of the choir room, causing Jake to stand up and follow her. "Marley, please-"
"Ryder told me to meet him, Unique, and Kitty in here. Not you."
"I told him to tell you that because I knew otherwise, you wouldn't come." Jake admitted.
Marley stopped in her tracks before turning around to look at him. "They're siding with you?"
"What?" Jake took her hand and tried to pull her back inside the choir room, but Marley instantly pulled away. "Marley, there are no sides. They're trying to help the both of us."
"Trying to help you sneak around with Bree?" Marley scoffed, rolling her eyes. "You broke my trust, Jake. I thought you changed."
Jake took a seat by the piano and motioned for Marley to take a seat next to him, which she reluctantly did. "Let me try to explain. Please?" He asked. She nodded softly as he began to play the opening notes to his assignment for Billy Joel week.
{Jake begins playing the intro to Vienna}
[Jake]
Slow down, you crazy child
You're so ambitious for a juvenile
But then if you're so smart
Tell me why are you still so afraid, hmm?
{Marley and Jake make eye contact as he continues to play the piano. The scene cuts to Puck in Quinn's apartment, looking through old photos of the two of them from Season One}
[Puck]
Where's the fire, what's the hurry about?
You'd better cool it off before you put it out
You've got so much to do
And only so many hours in a day, ayy
{The scene cuts to a fantasy of Jake and Puck sitting on stage in the auditorium, singing together}
[Jake and Puck]
But you know that when the truth is told
That you can get what you want or just get old
You're gonna kick off before you even get halfway through
Oooh
When will you realize
Vienna waits for you?
{The scene cuts to Blaine walking around NYU's campus}
[Blaine]
Slow down, you're doing fine
You can't be everything you wanna be before your time
{The scene then cuts to Blaine in Kurt's apartment as the two do research on NYU}
[Blaine]
Although it's so romantic on the borderline tonight
Tonight
Too bad but it's the life you lead
{The scene cuts to Finn as he sits alone in the Kurtcheltana living room, staring into space}
[Finn]
You're so ahead of yourself
That you forgot what you need
Though you can see when you're wrong
You know you can't always see when you're right
{Finn looks at pictures of him and Rachel, and then at ones of him and Penny}
[Finn]
You're right
{The scene cuts back to the auditorium fantasy, where Jake and Puck are now joined by Blaine and Finn}
[Blaine and Finn]
You've got your passion
You've got your pride
But don't you know that only fools are satisfied?
[Puck and Blaine]
Dream on
But don't imagine they'll all come true
Oooh
[Finn]
When will you realize
[Jake and Finn]
Vienna waits for you?
{During the instrumental break, the scene cuts to the choir room as the band plays, leaving Marley to watch and then to glance at Jake. The scene quickly cuts to Puck walking around Quinn's apartment with clear feelings of emptiness, and then cuts to Finn doing the same thing in the Kurtcheltana apartment. The scene cuts one last time to Blaine, laying on Kurt's bed, staring at the ceiling}
[Blaine]
Slow down, you crazy child
And take the phone off the hook
And disappear for a while
It's all right, you can afford
To lose a day or two, ooh
{The scene cuts to the auditorium fantasy one last time, with all four boys singing in harmony}
[Jake, Puck, Blaine, and Finn]
And you know that when the truth is told
That you can get what you want
Or you could just get old
You're gonna
Kick off before you even get halfway through, ooh
When will you realize
Vienna waits for you?
{The scene cuts back to the choir room, with Jake and Marley}
[Jake]
When will you realize
Vienna waits for you?
As the song concluded and the band left the choir room, Jake took Marley's hands and looked her in the eyes. "Marley, I promise you that nothing is happening between Bree and I. I promise you, I do not want to lose you over something so silly like this. Regardless if there is, the way I've been acting made it seem like there is. Talking to her is something that makes you uncomfortable and I should've kept that min mind. I am so sorry."
Marley took a deep breath. "Jake, I want to believe you. Really, I do. But what I don't understand is the crying thing. Unique said she saw you comforting her as she cried in the hallway, and when we called her out on it she freaked out. What is going on?"
As Marley asked this, the rest of those involved entered the room; Ryder, Unique, and Kitty. They all stood close to the piano, as Jake took a deep breath before answering Marley's question. "Marley, Bree is getting abused at home."
Marley, in awe, blinked. "What?"
Unique spoke up. "When I saw her and Jake in the hallway, it was because he found out."
Jake continued, "I... I saw a bruise on her face and asked if she was okay. When she told me, things started to add up for me... the flinching when I yelled at her, when I threw my backpack on the floor. Her reaction to Finn kicking her out of glee club. The way she lashes out on all of us. There's stuff going on at home with her and I was just trying to help..."
Kitty took a seat on the top of the piano. "That must be why she got so defensive when the girls and I tried to confront her."
Ryder nodded as he walked over to Kitty. "Guys, most of us know what it's like to be teased, to be brought down. But it never gets physical." He glanced at Kitty as he remembered how the two bonded during unplugged week over their own abusive situations. "Whatever is going on behind closed doors, we should do something to help."
"Even though I don't like the bitch, I agree," Unique nodded, giving Ryder a small smile. He smiled back; one of their first positive interactions since the catfish scandal. "Nobody deserves to be put through that."
Marley sat in silence, processing the information, until she looked up at Jake. "I wish you would've just told me..."
"I didn't feel like it was my place," Jake defended himself. "I only told these guys because they were trying to defend you. I'm sorry."
Marley nodded. "I forgive you, Jake, but we just need to be honest with each other from now on." The two hugged quickly before Marley stood up and looked around at her other friends. "When he gets back, we'll talk to Finn. He'll know what to do." The newbies all nodded in agreement.
"Goodnight, Coach!" School was dismissing for the day, and Becky decided to finally poke her head into Sue's office just for a quick hi-bye. Usually she would always be in Sue's office, chatting away, but this was the day after her visit to the University of Cincinnati's campus, so she avoided Sue, because was worried what she would think.
"That's it?" Sue looked up from her newspaper, looking at Becky with a raised eyebrow.
"Don't let the bed bugs bite?" Becky added in confused fear.
"You've been sitting out there all day long," Sue pointed out as she placed her newspaper on her desk, "with little dream bubbles floating over your head, and not once have you come in here to tell me how your trip to college went."
"I don't want to hurt your feelings, Coach..." Becky admitted as she made her way out of the hallway and fully inside Sue's office, placing her binder down and taking a seat across from her at her desk.
"Well, I don't have any feelings, Becky!"
"It was okay, I guess..." Becky began to explain. "I don't have to take math, someone takes notes for me, I can learn photography..."
"Well, that sounds better than okay to me!" Sue exclaimed.
At the sight of Sue's excitement, Becky decided to let her guard down. "To tell you the truth, it was awesome!" She grinned from ear to ear.
Sue smiled, but couldn't help but be worried for her best friend. She was virtually all Sue had, and she wanted to make sure she was in the right hands. "Are you sure you're ready for this, honey?"
"I never thought to say this... but I've outgrown these high school bitches," Becky continued as Sue nodded, looking a bit gloom. "You're not sad, are you, Coach?"
"I'm sad to be loosing the best damn friend since the one I made listening to the Carole King song You've Got a Friend from 1971... and the James Taylor cover from the same year," Sue sighed, realizing this was a bittersweet moment. "But, I'm more proud than I am sad. You think I could help you write your application essay?"
"Sure, Coach!" Becky smiled brightly.
She began shifting through her binder as she began to find the paper. She was so happy to have someone like Sue, and like Artie... people who would genuinely look out for her no matter what, just for the sake of being a good friend. It meant a lot to her... it truly warmed her heart. As Sue glimpsed over the application, she instantly said, "Well, you can't say that, and you can't say that."
"I can't say crap or douche?"
"Even if you're talking about Graydon Carter."
As Quinn re-entered her apartment after class, she found Puck in the living room, his suitcase packed and ready to go. Admittedly, she was a bit confused when Puck showed up, but she was even more confused to see him leaving so soon. "Noah?"
He looked up at her and zipped up his backpack before throwing it over his shoulder. "'Sup?"
"Uh, where are you going?"
"Back to Lima. Don't want to crash the McIntosh-Fabray party anymore than I already have." He responded with hurt in his voice.
Quinn paused, looking at him before pursing her lips. "You aren't crashing anything..."
"I think I already have." Puck replied, beginning to wheel his suitcase towards the front door, when Quinn stepped in front of him. "I've got to catch the next bus if I'm going to make my flight."
"Noah, you've only been here for a day or so. I haven't even shown you around! Biff knows this great Italian place-"
"Enough about this Biff guy. We've been talking for how long and I didn't even know about him? Not to mention he doesn't know anything about you? The real you, I mean."
"I'm trying to present myself in a particular way here," Quinn spat back, leading to an eyeroll from Puck. "Biff's family is Philadelphia mainline society. If I get in with that, my life is set!"
"Does he know about us?" Puck questioned. "About Beth?"
"I will tell him everything when I'm ready," She insisted, although Puck wasn't sold. Honestly, Quinn herself wasn't even sold on what she just said. "Look, high school is over-"
"Yeah, but that doesn't mean you have to bury your past," Puck argued.
"High school wasn't all sunshine and rainbows for me, okay?" She snapped, causing Puck to take a step back. She calmed down before continuing. "I struggled with teen pregnancy, depression, finding myself. Most of it, aside from a select memories, I don't look back on so fondly." Quinn looked at him and softly smiled. "Glee club was amazing. I needed it at the time, and even through our ups and downs I knew I had you... but that was high school. Things have changed since then."
"Maybe for you..." Puck mumbled to himself.
"I know why you came here," she whispered, taking his hand gently. "Noah, there will always be a place in my heart for you, but-"
He pulled away, looking at her in the eye before nodding his head and making his way to the door. That was all the closure he needed. She tried to call him back, but Puck took his things and left the apartment as he made his way to the bus stop. This trip was an eye-opening experience for him; it didn't necessarily go the way he wanted it to, but he realized that nothing lasts forever.
Meanwhile, Quinn leaned against the wall in her kitchen as she thought through her emotions towards Puck. She slumped to the ground, wondering if the past really was behind her.
"Thank you again for letting us stay with you. It was awesome, it reminded me of when I hopped from couch to couch because I needed somewhere to sleep that wasn't a concrete slab!"
Sam, Blaine, and Finn were all packed up, ready to go back to Lima, as they bid farewell to Rachel, Kurt, and Santana.
"Glad we could bring Throwback Thursday to a whole new level, Trouty Mouth," Santana chirped happily as everyone gave their quick hugs and said their goodbyes.
As Blaine and Sam made their way out the door, Finn stayed put. Kurt and Santana, knowing what was about to happen, darted for their bedrooms, leaving him alone with Rachel for the first time since Valentine's Day. The two faced each other, looking at the other with sadness in their eyes, albeit for two different reasons.
"I'm sorry I wasn't really around while you were here," Rachel said quietly. "Funny Girl rehearsals can be quite demanding."
Finn chuckled. "Yeah, well, I always knew you'd be Fanny Brice one way or another, so it was good to see you living your dream, no matter how brief."
Rachel smiled, biting her bottom lip and looking up at him. "I'm not Fanny yet, Finn," she reminded him, remembering the times where she would playfully chastise him. She longed for those days to return. "When am I going to see you again?"
"You could always come to L.A. for Nationals if you wanted."
"I don't know how often I'll be able to escape New York while rehearsals are going on," she responded, looking down at her feet. "Like I said, quite demanding."
"Oh. Right." Finn blushed, scratching the back of his neck nervously as he knew what was coming next. "Listen, Rachel-"
"You're seeing someone, aren't you?"
"How did you know?" He asked, bewildered.
"I could tell," Rachel giggled to hide the disappointment. She had a hunch, but getting the confirmation stung. "You haven't texted me nearly as much recently, and every time we've been around each other these past few days you've been very interested in Kurt's nightly Ru-Paul reruns, which is very uncharacteristic for you."
"I'm interested in what my brother likes!" Finn protested.
"Right." She walked over to him and looked up into his eyes.
Finn looked down at her and frowned. "Rachel, I don't want you to think I don't love you, because I still do, but-"
"We're just at two different stages in our lives right now," She finished his sentence. "I still love you too, but even if we were to give us another try, now wouldn't be the time."
"I've been wanting to tell you, but I didn't want to tell you over the phone. I just didn't want you to found out the way I found out about-"
"You don't need to finish that sentence," Rachel put a finger to his lips, knowing he was about to bring up Brody for the umpteenth time. He looked down at her finger and then back at Rachel, their eyes locking instantly. They both began to feel butterflies in their stomach, and suddenly they were the two sophomores having a picnic in the McKinley High auditorium all over again. As if it was muscle memory, the two leaned in and gave each other a sweet, simple kiss, before pulling away. Rachel smiled as Finn pulled her into a bear hug, closing her eyes and soaking the moment in before it was too late. As they pulled away, she looked up and smiled at him. "Thank you for being honest with me." She cleared her throat and glanced out towards the hallway. "You should probably get going, Sam and Blaine are waiting on you."
"Right." Finn blinked rapidly, shaking his head to snap back into reality as he prepared himself to leave. "Thank you for understanding." He hugged her one more time before asking, "Are we going to lose contact again?"
Rachel hugged him back and as she pulled away she instantly shook her head. "Never. You'll always be one of my best friends, Finn." Friends. Ouch.
He couldn't help but smile. "Bye, Rachel," He said softly.
"Goodbye, Finn."
With that, he left. It hurt Rachel to know the Finchel door was temporarily closed, but it made her happy to know he was happy, and it made her happy to know he wanted her to be happy. She knew they would come back together one day; it was only a matter of time. She took a seat on the couch and began to channel surf as Kurt and Santana re-emerged from their bedrooms, eager to get the tea. "Did he tell you?" Kurt blurted, leading to Santana elbowing him in the side.
Rachel nodded.
"Are you okay?" Santana inquired.
She looked at them, smiled, and confidently said, "Yes."
"Are we done, Coach?"
The next day, Sue and Becky, after coming to a mutual understanding regarding college, worked on setting up a booth in the hallway to appease the arts students for the career fair. "Oh, not quite yet, Becky. We're gonna drench this whole thing in glitter and hoist three dozen rainbow flags!" She said sarcastically. Obviously, she had no true support for the arts; she was mainly doing this to give Will Schuester the metaphorical finger.
"Got it, Coach! Go Bearcats!"
"Go Bearcats."
As they continued making a tiny display for those interested in dancing and music, Mr. Schue approached, looking at the table with a soft smile, obviously not realizing the irony before him. "So, you finally came around! What made you see the light?"
"Well, buttchin, in the words of civil rights leader Ghengis Khan, 'everyone deserves a shot at their dreams.' I suppose that includes your hopelessly misguided teen hobgoblins," Sue began her sassy tirade as she stacked together a pile of pamphlets. Before Will could interject, she continued, "Don't forget to remind them about the myriad of show business legends born and bred right here in Lima! And that would be a total of one Phyllis Diller." She placed a portrait of the comedian above the table. "You know, in a few decades, when the New Directions are all on employment, sexually pleasing some horny old casting assistant just so they can be extras on season 33 of The Bachelorette, they'll look back on this time and remember you fondly." She sneered, twisting the 'I hate arts' knife deeper, glaring right into Will Schuester's soul like two daggers, who responded with an equally distasteful look. As they stared hatefully at each other, Sue placed a star sticker on Will's vest.
"That's not true, Sue Sylvester!" Tina cried as she and the rest of the glee club approached. "One day, we're gonna be big, big stars!" She exclaimed confidently, as Kitty leaned against Artie's wheelchair and nodded in agreement.
"Well, of course you are, my dear. Isn't that right, William?" Sue clapped back, giving Schuester another smug look. Before he could argue, his eyes travelled down the hall as he saw three familiar faces approaching.
"Sam! Blaine! Finn! You're back!" Tina clapped happily.
"Yo, dawgs! Tell us everything!" Artie said in an intrigued tone, as the rest of the New Directions greeted the trio returning to Lima.
"Fact: Blaine didn't get into NYADA but he's going to pursue an education at NYU instead."
"Sam, that was my news."
"Point being proven..." Sue muttered.
"Oh, and Mr. Schue, did you know that Billy Joel never went to college?" Sam asked, leading to multiple raised eyebrows from his peers. "Fact! He didn't, and I think you forgot to tell us about that! So, I'm gonna skip college and become a male model."
Sue scoffed at the idea. "Impossible! You're too fat."
"No I'm not, and I don't care what you, or Miss Bitchette, or anyone says. I like me just the way I am, and I'm not gonna change for anyone."
"Well, that is just the 'screw you' spirit that employers love. Honest to God, I cannot imagine what goes on in your lumpish, sexually ambiguous heads!" Sue cried, looking damn near every member of the New Directions in the eye.
"Because they're nuts. Every one of them is crazy!" Becky spewed.
Finn looked down at Becky, before looking up at Mr. Schue. "Becky, you may be right."
Mr. Schue slowly formed a smile. "We may be crazy."
Sue, instantly catching on, noticed the joy sprouting in the faces of the glee club and whipped her head to face her arch rival. "Oh, no, no, no. Don't you dare. Over my dead body will you and your trusty sidekick, White Fat Albert, inexplicably shoehorn in another Billy Joel song, just to punctuate one of your weekly lessons that inevitably veers off into a sacred mirage of angst and affirmation."
{Music begins to play as Mr. Schue plays an air guitar, looks around at his students, and high fives Sam before beginning the song}
[Mr. Schue]
Friday night I crashed your party
Saturday I said I'm sorry
{Mr. Schue takes the star off his vest and puts it on Sue's tracksuit}
[Mr. Schue]
Sunday came and trashed me out again
{Artie and Kitty begin to dance in front of Sue as Kitty pulls Artie's wheelchair down the hall}
[Artie and Kitty]
And you told me not to drive
But I made it home alive
So you said that only proves that I'm insane
{Mr. Schue, Finn, and the New Directions all start dancing and singing in front of Sue}
[Mr. Schue, Finn and New Directions]
You may be right
I may be crazy
But it just may be a lunatic you're looking for
{Becky begins to dance along as the New Directions stand on the tables in the hallway and dance}
[Mr. Schue]
Turn out the lights
{Mr. Schue high-fives Finn}
[Finn]
Don't try to save me
{Mr. Schue, Finn and New Directions}
You may be wrong for all I know
But you may be right
{Marley and Unique rush down the hallway, dancing and laughing together, as Jake and Ryder follow close behind}
[Ryder]
Now think of all the years you tried to
[Ryder and Jake]
Find someone to satisfy you
I might be as crazy as you say
{Ryder high-fives Jake. Jake leans over and kisses Marley on the cheek, who hugs him and laughs. The scene cuts to Kitty and Artie dancing as the Cheerios follow}
[Artie and Kitty]
If I'm crazy, then it's true
That it's all because of you
And you wouldn't want me any other way
{The scene cuts to Mr. Schue, Finn, and the New Directions in the auditorium, as Sue sulks in the audience. Finn stands center stage as the glee club dance around him}
[Finn]
You may be right
I may be crazy
But it just may be a lunatic you're looking for
[Mr. Schue]
It's too late to fight
[Mr. Schue, Finn and New Directions]
It's too late to change me
You may be wrong for all I know
But you may be right
[Mr. Schue]
You may be right
[New Directions]
You may be right
[Finn]
I may be crazy
[New Directions]
I may be crazy
[Mr. Schue and Finn]
But it just may be a lunatic you're looking for
[Mr. Schue]
Turn out the lights
[New Directions]
Turn out the lights
[Mr. Schue]
Oh, don't try to save me
[New Directions]
No, no, no, no
[Mr. Schue, Finn and New Directions]
You may be wrong for all I know
But you may be right
You may be wrong but you may be right
You may be wrong but you may be right
You may be wrong but you may be right
You may be wrong but you may be right
{The song ends as the New Directions celebrate their performance, and the scene fades to black}
glee
Season Five, Starring Cory Monteith
STARRING
Cory Monteith as Finn Hudson
Lea Michele as Rachel Berry
Matthew Morrison as William Schuester
Jane Lynch as Sue Sylvester
Chris Colfer as Kurt Hummel
Naya Rivera as Santana Lopez
Kevin McHale as Artie Abrams
Jenna Ushkowitz as Tina Cohen-Chang
Darren Criss as Blaine Anderson
Chord Overstreet as Sam Evans
Melissa Benoist as Marley Rose
Jacob Artist as Jake Puckerman
Becca Tobin as Kitty Wilde
Alex Newell as Wade "Unique" Adams
Blake Jenner as Ryder Lynn
GUEST STARRING
Samuel Larsen as Joe Hart
Vanessa Lengies as Sugar Motta
Dianna Agron as Quinn Fabray
Demi Lovato as Dani
Lauren Potter as Becky Jackson
Mal Merpi as University of Cincinnati Tour Guide
Margaret Muller as Female Cincinnati Student
Luke Zimmerman as Male Cincinnati Student
Chace Crawford as Biff McIntosh
SONG(S) PERFORMED:
Billy Joel - We Didn't Start the Fire: Performed by William Schuester, Joe Hart, Ryder Lynn, Wade "Unique" Adams, Tina Cohen-Chang, and Marley Rose with New Directions
Billy Joel - All for Leyna: Performed by Noah Puckerman
Billy Joel - Vienna: Performed by Jake Puckerman, Noah Puckerman, Blaine Anderson, and Finn Hudson
Billy Joel - You May Be Right: Performed by William Schuester, Artie Abrams, Kitty Wilde, Finn Hudson, Ryder Lynn, and Jake Puckerman with New Directions