Rachel and Blaine headed back from their junk food outing. For Rachel, it was her second trip of the night to the supermarket, and as fate would have it, she encountered the same checkout lady. An older, experienced woman, she had the look of someone who had been ridden hard and put away wet.

“Hey, chickie, may I give you a small piece of advice?” the checkout lady asked.

Rachel looked around, wondering if the supermarket employee was talking to her. “You want to talk to me?” she asked as he pointed to herself.

“Of course I’m talking to you! Who else would I talk to? I noticed that you were in here earlier with another guy. Skater guy with the black hair? And now you’re here with cutie curly over there,” she said. Blaine was over at the magazine rack, looking at the latest gossip magazine with some interest. “Maybe you should pace yourself. Too many boys and all that junk food is not good for you. You’re so pretty, you don’t want to wear out too soon.”

Rachel was horrified. The lady thought she was a slut and a pig to boot! Flustered, she tried to explain, “Oh no! Ma’am, you misunderstand! These guys are my best friends, and they’re both gay. They’re a couple, you see, and I was just helping them get some junk food. It wasn’t all for me.”

Blaine noticed that Rachel was having a conversation and put down the magazine, listening in.

As the checkout lady scanned the items, she advised, “Sweetie, take it from me. You can’t make them straight. Believe me, I’ve tried several times. It’s a complete lost cause.” She looked over to Blaine. “No offense, sweetheart.”

“None taken,” Blaine said, extremely amused at this exchange.

The lady bagged their items and passed Rachel her change. “Have a good night, honey,” she said then moved to the next customer.

“But you don’t understand! I’m engaged! I wasn’t trying to make him str…” Rachel said loudly. She needed to make everyone understand that she wasn’t a slut trying to turn gay men straight. She had a reputation to maintain!

Blaine figured that he should put Rachel out of her misery. She didn’t have anything to prove. “Come on, Strawberry. Let’s go,” he said as he grabbed her arm and gently led her out of the store.

“But, Blainers, they need to understand!” Rachel protested as she struggled. Blaine laughed as he pulled her out of the store before she could make a fool out of herself by trying to explain the whole situation, loudly, to everyone in the store.

As the two went out to Blaine’s car, Rachel found herself carrying the bag with the soda yet again! She was beginning to get a weird deja vu vibe from the whole experience.

After getting the groceries into the car, a perturbed Rachel turned to Blaine and complained, “Well, I never! The nerve of that woman thinking I was two timing and eating all this junk. And I would never try to make you ‘straight’.”

“Well, actually you sorta did try already!” laughed a highly amused Blaine. He found the whole conversation to be absurdly funny. Rachel did not agree and smacked him on the arm.

Blaine exclaimed, “Ouch!” He rubbed his injured limbed and sincerely asked Rachel, “Why did you hit me?”

“For being a smartass,” she responded.

He put the car in gear and backed out of the parking space.

“So do you still plan on joining us in New York next year?” Rachel asked. She couldn’t help herself. New York was always on her mind.

“I’d like to, Rachel,” Blaine answered, and much to Rachel’s delight, he began discussing exploring little shops and art galleries together.

Arriving home, Rachel made sure that Blaine carried the soda bottles inside. She’d had enough of carrying heavy loads for one night. As she prepared another junk food feast, Blaine went to the bedroom and did some digging around in Rachel’s drawers (the kind found in a bureau, people!) and found some jogging pants and a t-shirt for sleepwear. They were a little too pink for his tastes, but no one but Rachel or perhaps her fathers would see. He really didn’t want to have to wear Rachel’s purple silk robe. After changing, he put in a Harry Potter movie. He didn’t have a favorite as he loved them all dearly.

Rachel soon entered with a tray of goodies and a bottle of soda. The two settled in to watch the movie, but after a few minutes Blaine paused the movie and turned to Rachel, declaring, “I’m going to kill Finn. He should know better than to get Kurt drunk and stoned! I’m going to have a stern talk with Puck and Sam as well.”

“Get in line, Blaine!” Rachel exclaimed, livid at her fiancé. “I told him to keep an eye on Kurt, not get him wasted! At least Finn sounded sober.”

“It’s probably ‘cause he’s so big it takes more alcohol to get him drunk,” Blaine shared. His knowledge of drinking was pretty extensive.

Rachel nodded in agreement as she knew lightweights like Blaine and her got plastered faster than the bigger kids.

“Poor Kurt is feeling lost, so I don’t blame him at all,” Blaine said, torn between anger and worry. “I hope they just weren’t taking advantage of his vulnerabilities. His whole world was just turned upside down. That would make anyone search for a new direction.” He snapped his fingers and added, “Hey! Glee club’s name makes sense now!”

Rachel looked at Blaine with a disbelieving look and said, “How could you not know that, Blaine? You may be pretty, but you aren’t that smart.” At Blaine’s dirty look, she advised, “I don’t think it was anything like that. Those men might be stupid, but I don’t think they’re malicious. I just think they were trying to keep Kurt’s mind off things. You know, by doing stupid teenager stuff.”

“I did stuff like that when I was 14, but not now! I don’t expect this kind of behavior from 18-year-olds and Puck is nearly 19!” Blaine said. He grabbed his bottle of soda and took a big drink.

“Seriously, Blaine? Have you never watched Animal House? I don’t think you outgrow stupid guy teen stuff until you are at least 22! Maybe older,” Rachel declared, ever the authority on maturity matters.

Blaine shrugged his shoulders and sighed. “I guess you’re right. I forgot about the college years.” He thought it over for a moment and then asked Rachel if she thought NYADA was a party school. 

“I don’t know. That’s a good question. It’s a moot point anyway as I don’t plan on partying. Partying won’t make me a star! Anyway, if you stick Noah, Finn, and Sam in one room, you could almost expire from all the immaturity,” Rachel said, resigned. “It’s something I’ve long ago accepted,” she finished and gave a large dramatic sigh. It was the one thing about Finn that Rachel disliked. She half hoped that Finn living under the same roof with Kurt would settle him down a little bit. No such luck. At the very least, New York would do the job with its bright lights and sophistication. She was sure of it!

“It still doesn’t mean I’m happy about it,” Blaine whined. After a moment’s moping, he added, “Although I would kinda like to see Kurt high like that. He sounded absolutely adorable on the phone!”

“Blaine!” Rachel said, scandalized.

“What?” Blaine answered. “I’m not saying I want to get him high. I just wanted to see him! Jeez, Rach, do you think so little of me?”

“Of course not, Blaine. And you know I’m just teasing you,” Rachel assured. She hoped she hadn’t made Blaine mad. She needed another fight like she needed a hole in the head.

Blaine picked up the remote and hit the play button. They continued watching the movie for few minutes, but he started getting antsy. He started going over in his mind something Kurt had said. Finally, he couldn’t take it anymore and hit the pause button. He turned to Rachel and asked, “Did Kurt send you a message saying that Sam hit on him? Sam Evans?” He assumed it was Kurt just telling a joke, but it seemed that Kurt’s inhibitions had disappeared so it was hard to tell. Lots of truths come out when one was drinking.

“Oh, I’m sure it was a joke. You know that weird sense of humor Sam has. I wouldn’t worry about it,” Rachel dismissed.

“I guess so,” Blaine responded and unpaused the movie. He mulled over his thoughts. He had very mixed feelings about Sam. As a whole, he liked Sam and enjoyed hanging out with him in a group setting. He wasn’t sure if he would ever want to spend one-on-one time with him, though. He didn’t like the fact that Sam had done some stripping. Blaine knew that he was on his moral high horse about Sam’s former job and probably should get off of it. It’s just that he equated stripping with male prostitution and it made him uncomfortable. Plus he couldn’t get over that uneasy feeling that Sam would be willing to experiment if the opportunity arose. And a drunk Kurt might present such an opportunity. After another minute he paused the movie again. Something else was tugging at his mind, and he wanted to get Rachel’s take on it.

“We’re never going to get through this thing if you keep pausing it, Blainers,” Rachel said, grabbing the remote from her friend’s hand. She could tell he had something on his mind. It was the way he was fidgeting with his nervous energy. She had learned some of his body language quirks from hanging with her favorite couple. Reading your partner’s body language was important, especially on the stage, so she made a point of being observant at all times.

“There was something else he said, too, but I bet it was just the pot brownies talking. It’s very easy to get a loose tongue with those things. Believe me, I know from experience,” Blaine said and shrugged. He was ashamed by his past behavior. Luckily his new friends were unaware of any of it, even Kurt. Blaine wasn’t a very nice person back then. He put Sebastian to shame.

Rachel looked at Blaine with surprise. She was finding out way more than she expected to about her curly-haired friend. “Were you a wild child when you were younger?” she asked curiously.

“It doesn’t really matter,” Blaine said, trying to divert the conversation back to Kurt. “Right before I hung up to call Finn, Kurt said something I can’t get out of my mind. It keeps repeating over and over again in my head.”

“Was it bad?” Rachel asked, concerned that Kurt had said something stupid or mean to Blaine. If that was the case, she would lecture Kurt on how to treat the people he loved properly.

“No, not at all. It was really good, but shocking,” he said, playing with the ruffles on Rachel’s quilt. “He said he was going to marry me. But I bet it was just the drugs and alcohol talking.” He reached over and unpaused the movie, forcing himself to pay attention to it. Maybe if he distracted himself, the invasive thoughts would go away. Either way, he and Kurt needed to sit down and have a serious talk about their future. He wanted to make sure they were on the same page. He would marry Kurt in a second, high school be damned, but would his boyfriend feel the same way?

Rachel paused the movie again and turned to face Blaine. “Rach, you said we needed to get through this,” Blaine insisted.

“Blaine, you don’t say something as major as that then ignore me,” Rachel retorted. “Movie time has concluded for now. So what exactly did he say?”

Blaine regretted saying anything and groaned internally. When it came to Kurt, Rachel wanted to know everything. “He just said that he was going to marry me someday and we would have a little boy and girl. You know, drunk talk!” he said casually. He had concluded that Kurt was just messing with him, but a small part of him hoped that Kurt was serious. “Actually every part of me is hoping. Who am I kidding?” he thought to himself. “Of course he mentioned a pony, too, so it must have been drunk talk. What else could it be?”

“Ponies are good,” Rachel chimed in without really thinking about it. But then again, she realized how silly pony talk was so she didn’t continue. She sat in silence and played with her hands, as if in some sort of internal struggle.

Blaine noticed her nervousness and commanded, “You know something! Tell me!”

“Uh uh! No way! Your boyfriend would kill me! Why does Kurt tell me secrets? He knows I’m terrible at keeping them!” Rachel cried. “Can we just forget about this and continue on with the movie? I want to see if Harry saves the day!”

“You know very well he does! We’ve watched this movie like six times already!” Blaine said impatiently. Rachel didn’t admit it to everyone, but she was a closet Potterhead and loved watching the movies with Kurt and Blaine. She even had the boxed set of all seven hardcover books! She’d actually gone so far as trying to get authentic first run autographed copies on eBay, but they were way too expensive. She had tried to talk Blaine and Kurt into going threesies, but they eventually talked her out of the purchase. Yes, Rachel was their Hermione to Klaine’s Harry and Ron.

Blaine put up his fingers and made them into claws. “Am I going to have to tickle the secret out of you?” he asked in a playfully menacing way.

“I can’t! It’ll ruin the surprise!” she said, feigning terror but grinning. Blaine grabbed her and started tickling her side. Rachel tried her very hardest not to laugh, but eventually he hit the one spot she couldn’t resist, her feet. She kicked out and almost hit him in a very sensitive area. Luckily, Blaine was agile and dodged her errant foot.

He grabbed her leg and threatened, “Okay, tell me, or your tootsies get it!” Rachel shut her mouth tightly and violently shook her head. He laughed and attacked her foot with tickles.

“Oh my god! Stop! I can’t take it! Please stop and I’ll tell you!” Rachel said, laughing and screaming while trying to free her foot from Blaine’s grip.

“Why should I believe you?” Blaine asked jokingly and put his fingers close to her foot. “How do I know you won’t just clam up again when I let you go?”

“You promise you won’t tell Kurt I told you?” Rachel asked breathlessly. Blaine had discovered her one Achilles heel. Ironically enough, that was her feet. One of her many talents was being able to turn on and off her ticklish spots. She would never know when tickling would be required on stage, so she had learned to block out all external stimuli. There was one spot she couldn’t turn off no matter how much she tried. That was her feet.

“You have my word, Strawberry,” Blaine snorted. He was having way too much fun teasing her, and it made him feel better even though he was away from Kurt.

“Okay, now I’m not going to tell you!” Rachel pouted. Blaine was about to start in on the tickling again when she yelled, “I’m kidding! Please, no more!” He let go of her foot and she took a minute to get her breath back and to fix her messed-up hair.

She sat on the bed facing Blaine and took his hand. “If Kurt finds out I told you, I’m a dead woman so you need to pinkie swear,” Rachel demanded and put up her pinky.

“What are we, ten years old?” Blaine scoffed.

“Just do it, Blaine!” Rachel commanded. Blaine put up his pinkie and linked it with her.

After they struck their bargain, Blaine pretended to spit on his palm and offered it to Rachel. “Well, since we’re acting like ten year olds, let’s shake on it!” he said.

“Don’t be gross!” Rachel admonished. Blaine laughed and went to wipe the non-existent spit from his hand on her. She pushed him away, laughing. After struggling for moment to regain her composure, for Blaine sometimes was just so funny it slayed her, she continued, “Okay, so when we were at the school after you left Kurt earlier, he confided in me about something.”

Blaine had a brief flash of panic. Did Kurt tell her about his dad? He promised that he wouldn’t tell anyone! But Rachel seemed happy about what she was going to tell him, so that couldn’t have been it.

“I can’t believe I’m even telling you this, but here goes. Remember he said this completely sober!” Rachel stalled. She was enjoying torturing Blaine by drawing out the story as long as possible. It also kept her in the spotlight a little longer. She was a diva and she knew it. She enjoyed the drama and tension it was creating. He was hanging on to her every word. 

“Get to the point, Berry!” Blaine exclaimed, totally frustrated. He wasn’t normally this impatient, but he needed to know what Kurt had said.

“Maybe, I should write it down instead,” Rachel teased.

“NOOO!” Blaine howled and moved to tickle Rachel again.

Rachel gave an exasperated sigh and said, “Fine!!” She said the rest in one big breath as fast as she could, “Kurtisgoingtoaskyoutomarryhimaftergraduation!” Her eyes went wide because she had just blown one of the biggest surprises in a couple’s life.

Blaine wasn’t sure he heard her right, so he asked, “Can you repeat that about ten miles an hour slower? All I heard was Kurt and marry.”

“You’re killing me, Blaine! I already said it, can’t you figure it out?” she asked. At Blaine’s head shake, she repeated very slowly, “Kurt… is… going… to…”

“Ok, smartass, not that slow!” Blaine scolded. “Sorry, that was rude. I talk to the guys like that,” he added sheepily. “I spent too much time at an all-boys school.”

“Kurt is going to ask you to marry him after graduation!!! Okay, now I blew it. Happy now?” Rachel huffed and crossed her arms. She wasn’t very happy with Blaine at the moment. She also felt sorry for him. One of the most treasured moments of her short life was when Finn had proposed to her. What made it so special was because it was so completely unexpected.

“He really said that?” Blaine asked, not believing her.

“Yes!” Rachel said, completely put out.

“And he was sober?” Blaine asked as he tried to process what she had said.

Rachel was annoyed at Blaine for making her tell Kurt’s secret, so she wasn’t paying attention to her language as she snapped, “As a damn judge.”

“Wow…” Blaine said. He wasn’t sure he if he was glad or scared that Rachel had told him. His mind started wandering, making preliminary wedding plans, like guest lists and seating arrangements. “Stop that!” he admonished himself. “It’s way too soon for planning!” Thinking about it, however, made him smile. To cover up his wandering mind, he said to Rachel, “Well, since you have experience in planning weddings, I guess you can help me out, right?”

“You’re not mad at me for telling you, are you? Cause you asked!” Rachel said indignantly. “Actually you threatened death by tickling so it’s too late to take it back now!”

“No, Rachel, it’s fine. It just kind of comes as a shock,” Blaine responded kindly. “I mean, we talked about it, but we both agreed we’re still a bit young. But now I wonder…” He trailed off, thinking about the possibilities of the future.

“Well, let’s just get back to the movie and forget about it. Kurt is going to have my head!” Rachel grumbled crankily.

Blaine smiled at her and teased, “Stop being a drama queen, Rach. He’s not going to know. And finishing the movie is a great idea!” He grabbed a bag of chips and sat against Rachel’s headboard. He was about to start the movie again when he felt his pocket vibrate. He pulled out his phone and discovered that it was a much more coherent message from Kurt.

You and Rachel be outside in five minutes! Can’t wait to see you! I feel empty without you.

Blaine sent a quick response:

What the hell? Be out soon.

He then realized that might have come across as a bit rude, so he sent a follow-up text:

Sorry, babe, was just surprised. At the risk of sounding cheesy: You Complete Me.

Ten seconds later, he got a response.

Aww, how romantic! Hurry up lead ass. We’re waiting outside.

“That was Kurt. He wants us outside post haste. I didn’t know he was near!” Blaine exclaimed, surprised at the invite. He was feeling a little nervous as they parted on less than happy terms.

“I guess we have to oblige, then, don’t we?” Rachel said and got up and moved to her dresser. “Give me a minute.” She took her hair and put it in two adorable Sugar-like pigtails. Blaine looked at her with amusement. She gave one more check in the mirror and grabbed his hand, dragging him from the room.

They made their way downstairs and opened the front door. There was no one on the front porch, but they noticed four figures standing in darkness on the lawn, in a line. Rachel turned on the front porch light and saw that it was Kurt, Finn, Sam, and Puck. Blaine saw with amazement that Kurt was wearing the sweats he kept at his boyfriend’s house. He wasn’t sure why, but this comforted him.

Kurt stepped forward and was a little wobbly on his feet. His eyes had that glazed-over look, but other than that, he looked fine. He had his hand behind his back. When he brought it to the front, there was a single purple tulip. “It’s the best I could find on short notice,” he said and giggled. “Rachel, please don’t tell your neighbor that I took their flowers.” He turned to Puck and added, “Hey, Noah, I guess I stooped to vandalism after all, huh?” Puck just gave a grin in response. His baby gay really was growing up. Kurt turned back to his boyfriend and teased, “By the way, Blaine dear? Nice pink jammies.” He gave a snort and started giggling again. Blaine looked down in horror. He had forgotten he was wearing Rachel’s clothes. How embarrassing.

Finn walked up and presented Rachel one of her own tulips. She smiled and brought the flower to her nose.

Before Blaine could reach out for his boyfriend, Kurt stepped back and said, “I’m not sure how long I’ll remain upright, so we better do this now.” He turned to the other three men and asked, “Ready, guys?”

“Let’s do it!” called Finn! They got into position and started singing while doing a drunk two step. It was a pretty funny sight to see. It was amazing that they could sing at all considering how wasted they all were. All four started the song in a cappella:

“Whoa, oh, oh, oh,
For the longest time!
Whoa, oh, oh,
For the longest time!”

Finn stepped forward to sing the first verse. The rest of the men sang backup with the woahs and the oohs and the aaahs. Finn took Rachel’s hand as he sang:

“If you said goodbye to me tonight.
There would still be music left to write.
What else could I do?
I'm so inspired by you.
That hasn't happened for the longest time!”

Kurt stepped forward to take over for his brother. He grabbed both of Blaine’s hands and started swinging them playfully as he sang:

“Once I thought my innocence was gone.
Now I know that happiness goes on.
That's where you found me,
When you put your arms around me.
I haven't been there for the longest time!”

Kurt continued doing a drunken dance with Blaine, who loved this playful side of Kurt. He was singing the simple chorus with the other three men, and continued at the next verse:

“I'm that voice you're hearing in the hall.
And the greatest miracle of all,
Is how I need you,
And how you needed me too.
That hasn't happened for the longest time!”

Kurt finished his solo, kissing Blaine on the cheek with a mischievous smile and stepping back. Blaine laughed at his boyfriend’s antics. Puck stepped forward to sing in mock dramatics. He was having a good time with these guys, and he missed singing:

“Maybe this won't last very long.
But you feel so right,
And I could be wrong.
Maybe I've been hoping too hard.
But I've gone this far,
And it's more than I hoped for!”

Sam came forward, and because he didn’t have anyone to sing to, he knelt down in front of Puck and pretended to serenade him:

“Who knows how much further we'll go on?
Maybe I'll be sorry when you're gone.
I'll take my chances.
I forgot how nice romance is.
I haven't been there for the longest time!”

Rachel and Blaine looked at each other, beaming. They were being serenaded by the men they loved! It was all very romantic. Finn stepped forward with the next verse. As he was getting ready to sing his part, Hiram and LeRoy stepped onto the porch and tapped their feet along with the song. Finn sang with one hand on his heart and the other reaching out:

“I had second thoughts at the start.
I said to myself,
Hold on to your heart.
Now I know the woman that you are.
You're wonderful so far,
And it's more than I hoped for!”

As Finn was singing his verse, Kurt walked up behind Blaine, put his arms around his waist and put his chin on Blaine’s shoulder, rocking him side to side while he finished the last verse. Blaine smiled and grabbed his hands while dancing along. Kurt continued singing:

“I don't care what consequence it brings.
I have been a fool for lesser things.
I want you so bad!
I think you ought to know that,
I intend to hold you for the longest time!

For their big finale, the four men danced around Rachel and Blaine, circling them. Rachel’s dads were clapping along, enjoying the show.

“Encore! Encore!” Hiram called, not caring that it was almost midnight. “Why don’t you boys come in and we can sing some more? We can try some six part harmony. So much fun!” He always enjoyed a New Directions sing along. It almost felt like his old glory days.

“Sorry, Mr. Berry. This was just a drive-by serenading. Or walk-by, as the case may be,” said Kurt, trying to act as sober as he could. Staying at the Berry home, however, would blow his cover. “Gotta go!” He walked up to a shocked Blaine and kissed him firmly on the lips. “I love you. I’ll talk to you soon, mi amour,” he murmured and jogged away. Finn gave Rachel a quick kiss and followed Kurt. Sam grinned and followed Finn.

Puck looked at Blaine and said, “Guess I don’t have to kick your ass then, Anderson!” He gently punched Blaine on the arm, kissed Rachel on the cheek and followed the other three men with a big grin.

Blaine just stood there, watching the men disappear down the street. He was in shock. His man had suddenly shown up, gave him a flower, sang a song, kissed him, and had disappeared just as suddenly. “What in the hell was that?” he asked, his mouth agape.

“I don’t know, but it was super fun!” Rachel squealed. For a second there, it looked like she was channeling Sugar. “See? I told you he loved you!” She put her arm in his and said, “Okay, let’s go see if Harry Potter saves the day!”

Blaine nodded but didn’t say anything. His head was swimming with the events of the last hour. “May I suggest we continue with our Rachel/Blaine bondage time?” Blaine asked. Rachel gave him a side eye and once he realized what he had said, he blushed a deep pink. “Oh my god… bonding time! BONDING! I swear I’m not into that stuff! As much as I love you, Rachel, you aren’t my type.” Rachel crossed her arms and jutted her hip, waiting for him to embarrass himself further. Realizing he was just digging himself a bigger hole, he facepalmed and muttered, “Just kill me now and save everyone the humiliation.”

“Just your own humiliation, my dear,” Rachel quipped and gave a lopsided grin, not unlike Finn’s. She laughed and put her arm through her friend’s and entered the house.

******

The rest of New Directions were dealing with their own little dramas.

Sugar had surprised both Rory and Artie by going home with Artie after Kurt’s party. Rory really didn’t mind. He was going home soon, and he doubted he’d ever hear from Sugar again. Maybe he would leave a Facebook status update comment or an occasional ‘Like’ when it became too much of an effort to even type in a note. He was perfectly fine with it. He decided to walk home. It wasn’t far to Brittany’s house from Finn’s place.

Artie was thrilled. Taking Sugar home was the best thing that could possibly ever happen to him. Well, at least up until today. The two hitched a ride home with Santana and Brittany. After all, Brittany was able to help get Artie in and out of his chair and into the car. Once they got to Artie’s house, he would figure out something to get Sugar home or maybe he would just sneak her in and have her spend the night.

Sugar snuggled up close to Artie and squealed with delight, “Let’s spend tonight getting to know each other better!”

“Yes, it was all good,” Artie thought. “All good.”

After dropping Artie and Sugar off, Santana and Brittany went over to Santana’s house. Although Santana had things she wanted to talk to Brittany about, tonight was not the night. She wanted a nice drama-free night spent in the arms of her lover. Brittany was good with any positive attention Santana was offering.

******

Mike and Tina were parked in Lima’s infamous Lover’s Lane. Modern cars with bucket seats were way too uncomfortable so the couple was sitting in the back seat listening to an eighties station on the radio. Mike was feeling pretty good tonight, feeling pretty lucky actually, and wanted to make-out. Tina was on the pill now. To Mike, it meant freedom.

Tina, on the other hand, was feeling very jumpy tonight. She had a lot on her mind. She needed to talk about Mike about her lie concerning being on the pill. No, she wasn’t on the pill nor had she talked to anyone about ever going on the pill. Not only didn’t she want her mother to know she and Mike had been intimate for almost a year, she didn’t want her to know that her precious daughter was no longer pure. Americans simply didn’t understand Asian culture and its pressures. Losing your virginity before marriage was a big deal, and some women even went to a surgeon to be restored. Tina had had unprotected sex and could possibly be pregnant. She knew she had made a big mistake, a very big mistake. She needed to talk to Mike, not make out.

Mike was nuzzling her neck and making sweet talk when Tina finally spoke up, “Mike, Mike! Stop it! We need to talk.”

Mike sighed and looked at Tina as he said, “Do we have to? We could be doing something else. With you on the pill and all...” For an Asian, Mike was more like a typical horny American teenager than he should be, or at least Tina thought he should be. She wasn’t sure. It was all so confusing, this clash of old and new worlds.

“Mike, I’m not on the pill.” There, she said it.

“WHAT?” he exclaimed. Any amorous feelings Mike had disappeared in a flash. He opened the car door and walked out. He stared at Tina in disbelief. “Are you frickin’ kidding me? Why would you lie to me, Tina? I don’t get it.”

Tina followed him out of the car and went around to the front passenger door. She tried to pacify him. “Mike, don’t shout! Don’t make a scene. Others might hear you. Get in the car. I can explain,” she begged. Tina sat back in her seat desperately trying to find just the right words. They weren’t coming.

Mike had been raised in a world of controlled anger. He gathered his wits and slid into the driver’s side seat and after crossing his arms, he looked at Tina for an explanation. When Tina failed to talk right away, he turned the car on, threw it into gear and started to drive her home.

Tina spent the next couple of minutes putting her thoughts in order. She was shocked by Mike’s anger at her. He was more like his father than either of them would care to admit, and she really began to question their relationship. After all, it was merely built on physical attraction and hadn’t ever gone any deeper.

Still, she wondered if she should try to save their relationship or was this an easy out? If there was a pregnancy, there were easy ways to deal with it. No one would have to know. Tina wasn’t Quinn. She didn’t have the same issues that Quinn had with pregnancy.

With careful deliberation over her words, Tina began to speak. “Mike, I think it’s time to call it quits,” she said quietly. “You’re leaving soon for Chicago, and I don’t think it’s best for either of us to try and stay together.”

Mike nodded in agreement and said, “I think you’re right.”

He pulled into Tina’s driveway and let her exit the car. He peeled out of the driveway without looking back. Tina stood and stared as his car sped down the street. “The bastard,” she thought. “He didn’t even care to ask if I might be pregnant. Who needs him?” For the first time in two years, she felt free. She didn’t feel the need to shed a single tear.

******

Mercedes couldn’t wait to get out of Lima. Between Sam’s neediness, which she perceived as particularly stifling tonight, and Kurt’s mid-life crisis - could an eighteen year old even have a mid-life crisis? - she was so done with these people, these so-called friends who would just as soon as stab you in the back as to look at you.

Hell, she was done with this town, this state, this life, and she was never going back. Ever! Well maybe to visit Mom and Dad for the holidays and besides, her dad was good for a free teeth cleaning and whitening. She was going to need super white teeth if she hoped to raise herself above mere back-up singer status. Having a great voice wasn’t enough; one had to have charisma, a larger than life personality, attitude and good looks. White teeth simply come with the territory. Yeah, she was sooo out of here.

She had briefly considered texting Kurt to make sure he was okay. He was her very first BFF, after all. And her first high school unattainable crush. But truth be told, they had drifted apart after he attached himself to that Rachel Berry. She hated the fact that Rachel treated Kurt like some sort of lap dog, her pet Chihuahua. She had only hung out with Rachel because it was the only way to hang with Kurt recently, what with him spending the rest of his time with Blaine.

At least Blaine was nice. He always had a smile and a kind word for her. Oh well. Once she settled in LA, she would invite Kurt and Blaine out for some sun, fun, and fabulous shopping on Rodeo Drive. They may even decide to stay and give up on that stupid New York dream. Kurt was always about fashion, and Mercedes was sure she could get Blaine some session work, especially when she became famous. Rachel put that NYADA idea in Kurt’s head. Now look where it got him! A weird mid-life crisis at 18. It was totally Rachel’s fault.

******

Although Quinn enjoyed spending time with the New Directions, she was happy to leave when the call from Rachel came in asking everyone to go home. She had debated going back to her house or hanging out with some of her non-choir friends. Her whole life didn’t revolve around cheerleading or singing all the time. In the end she decided home would be best. She had hoped that her mother would have succeeded in putting herself into her nightly drunken stupor. Since her parents had divorced, the nightly drinking had increased from two or three to four or more drinks. As long as she wasn’t pulled into any drama, she didn’t mind. 

Walking in through the front door into a darkened hallway, Quinn called out to her mom, half-hoping she wouldn’t answer.

“Quinn, honey, are you home?” her mother answered from the family room. “I want to talk to you about something exciting!”

Funny, her mom’s words weren’t slurred at all. Hmm, Quinn thought this could be a good thing. Intrigued, she started flipping on lights, answering, “Yes Mom, it’s me. What’s up?”

Quinn made her way to the family room and was happy to find her mom lucid and sober. “Quinn, I have the most wonderful opportunity for you to consider!” Her mother walked over and clasped Quinn’s hands in her own. “Please take some time to think this offer over,” she requested. The excitement in her mother’s voice was infectious and Quinn found herself caught up in the excitement.

“What is it, Mom? What is it?” Quinn begged for information.

Her mother took in a big breath and shared her great news, “You’ve been offered an internship in Paris as a docent!”

Quinn was stunned. She had applied to the program on a lark, not expecting to ever hear anything back. It was very competitive, and they usually didn’t take incoming freshmen. The selection board must have seen something in her they liked because here it was. A chance of a lifetime opportunity and it was hers to take!

Her mother let go and reached to the table behind her and handed Quinn an opened package with a letter on top. “I apologize, I had to open it. I knew what it was and I had to know,” she said. Her mother was trembling with excitement. “Quinn, I want you to go. Please seriously consider this offer! You’ll be back in time for the start of the school year. Please, Quinn!” her mother pleaded.

Quinn hugged her mom and starting laughing and crying, “Of course I’ll take it. I’d be crazy not to. Oh, Mom, I’m so excited. I can’t wait to tell everyone. I’m so happy!” She was ecstatic.  “Paris, oh my God, Paris!” she thought happily. She felt like a princess in a fairy tale whose greatest wish had just come true.

“Kurt will be so jealous!” she thought. “Paris is the fashion center of the world! Even though I’m excited, I’m kinda worried about Kurt. He chased after Blaine quite suddenly at the party. He’s been kind of acting weird lately, and I really don’t like the way he has changed. He was always so nice to me even though I spent the first year of glee club being such a bitch to him! Now it looks like he’s the bitch, or at least a Puck-in-training. I’ll call him tomorrow to check on him and tell them the news.”

******

Most startling of all, Will and Emma were looking at wedding dates again and considering yet another postponement. Emma seemed fine about move it further back, but Will wondered if this was going to be a regular occurrence leading up to a “never gonna happen” status. It worried him to no end.

“What’s wrong with November?” Will asked as he looked at his planner. They had tried to plan a bit after they came home from Kurt’s party, but it wasn’t going very well.

“Well, all the kids will be home for Thanksgiving, and…” Emma started.

Will interrupted, “That’s why it’s the perfect time! It will save them an extra trip. It’s perfect, right?”

“Sweetie, I’m sure they all want to spend time with their families,” Emma tried to explain.

“But New Directions is a family, too! I’m sure they’ll be fine with it,” he countered. He knew he was starting to sound pathetic and desperate, because he sort of was. He was desperate to get some control over his life and wedding plans. It was so frustrating!

“Can we talk about this a little later, dear?” Emma asked absently. She was staring intently at her laptop screen, her large doe eyes almost glowing. “I need to get started on some new pamphlet ideas so they can go to the printers. September just comes way too soon!”

Will sighed and sat on the couch heavily, running his hand through his short curls. “Emma, we really need to decide or we’ll run the risk of not finding a venue again,” he insisted.

Emma spoke to her screen, as if she were ignoring her fiancé, “I suppose these pamphlets can wait until later.” She closed her laptop and stood up, walking to the phone. She changed the subject as she said, “I’m going to see if Carole wants to come over and watch a movie. I hate seeing her alone in that big house with the boys out and about.”

Will decided to drop the wedding planning… for now. “Fine!” he snapped. “Maybe I’ll go over to Shannon and Sue’s place and watch the game.” After her issues with Cooter, Shannon Bieste had moved in with Sue until she could find her own accommodations. She just never moved out. In her pregnant state, Sue appreciated the company, and Shannon was a good roommate. She always helped Sue with the chores and cooking. She could also cook a mean chicken!

As Will was about to kiss Emma goodbye, she exclaimed, “Oh, I know! Let’s invite them all over here! We can watch movies and drink wine, except for Sue, of course. It will be ever so much fun. Yay, adult companionship. Yay!” She put her hands up as if to cheer.

Will looked at her, his frustration and anger melting away. This was why he loved her. He knew they would need to deal with the wedding stuff sooner than later. Kurt had been patient with them since he volunteered to take up the mantle of official wedding planner, but now he might be moving to New York in the fall, so most of the major things would have to be planned before he left. Kurt could plan the little things long distance, but bookings and fittings would need to be done in person.

Kurt was also very particular and expected things to be done to his specifications. Will remembered when he put Kurt in charge of costumes for Regionals. He was so anal about the costuming that Will had to give the job to Tina for Nationals. And if Kurt got that internship, Will wondered how much time Kurt would actually have to plan. So planning had to happen now… or very soon.

“Hon?” Emma asked, interrupting Will’s musings.

“Oh, sorry. Mind was wandering,” Will said, shaking his head.

Emma looked at Will worriedly. Was he getting sick, perhaps? She resolved to take care of him, even with all the icky germs. She could deal with it! She put her hand on Will’s forehead and said, “Nope, not sick!”

“What?” Will asked.

“Nothing,” Emma responded. “I was wondering if you could call everyone to invite them while I prepare some munchies.” She had gotten over hand washing every single piece of fruit, so preparing food was a whole lot easier. Sometimes she didn’t even use gloves!

Will looked at her, confused. There were times he couldn’t follow her line of thinking, but again, that’s what made her so adorable. “Of course,” he said as Emma watched him intently.

As he invited his friends over, he wondered what he was going to do about the whole wedding situation. Maybe he would ask Shannon for advice, or Burt when he got home tomorrow. He wouldn’t dare ask Sue because the Coach would just offer a snide remark. And as fond as he was of Carole, she was one of Emma’s bridesmaids, so that would be awkward. He could ask Finn – he was the best man after all – but he didn’t think the recent graduate would have any good advice. He even briefly considered talking to Kurt. He scolded himself for thinking about asking kids - or young adults at least - advice on weddings, even though Finn was having one of his own. For the first time in a very long time, he felt lost. Right now, he and Kurt had a lot in common.