“Hurry up, I’m getting old here boys” Lindsay laughed from the door of the bus tapping her foot impatiently. Those boys moved slower than her 82 year old grandmother. The young woman dressed in jeans, a faded 80’s band tee and her dark rimmed glasses had her long chocolate locks tied up in a ponytail. If she had to spend the next three months on a bus with a bunch of teenagers then she was going to be comfortable.
The Warblers, an A Capella show choir phenomenon, were about to embark on their first National tour but if they didn’t move faster they wouldn’t be going anywhere. Lead by the handsome and equally charming heartthrob that was Blaine Anderson they were a sensation like no other.
From small town Westerville, Ohio the group that originated in the halls of Dalton Academy shot to fame after their win at the National Show Choir competition. After their incredible performance, everyone knew their name and wanted to see more of the boundary pushing group. They were nothing like the current musical artists gracing the Top 40 and the entire country was going crazy for the boys.
“It’s 5am Linds, allow the coffee to kick in would ya?” Blaine chuckled as he threw his suitcases under the bus.
Lindsay James was the one person any of those young performers would get up at 5am for. With the group since their first small tour, she was their tour co-ordinator which meant she was also their part time security guard and all around babysitter. Lindsay was hired to co-ordinate the boys, their tour and their media responsibilities but they were more than that to her. They were like family to her and Lindsay treated them like that.
“Coffee will stunt your growth Anderson”
“Too late” Nick chuckled as he threw his bag under the bus and made his way over to Lindsay “Tell me again why we’re leaving at such an un-godly hour?”
“Because you all had to have one last night with Mommy and Daddy at home before 3 months on tour and it’s an eleven hour drive back to New York” she smirked and pushed the dark haired boy onto the bus “We have to make a pit stop in Lima too”
“What the hell is in Lima?”

XXXXX

“We’re going to New York, we’re going to New York” Rachel and Kurt sung as they conga line danced around their friends gathered. Huddled together to stay warm while they waited outside their manager’s home, The New Directions were all itching to get to New York.
Supporting one of the biggest bands in the country, the singing group were on their way to stardom.
A small show choir that was now 15 members strong, The New Directions were a group of misfits taking on the music world. Writing and performing their own songs about beating the odds and overcoming that bully, they connected with a wide audience of young people. Their songs became anthems to teenagers around the country.
Like the Warblers, the New Directions originated in an Ohio high school. They were the freaks of McKinley High School who were now a successful band looking toward an incredible career. The people that all their songs were written about were probably regretting who they chose to bully now.
Both with unique musical styles, The New Directions and The Warblers were going to make the most of their fame and popularity until something different came along. Joining together for this tour, both groups would be under the care of Lindsay as well as their respective managers. Like the Warblers, Lindsay predicted she would be treating these new kids like family soon enough.

XXXXX

“Either find a buddy to sit next to or take your feet off the seats, we will have guests when we stop” Lindsay chuckled as she made her way down the bus and started making room for those joining them. Surrounded by a bunch of teenage boys, she wasn’t surprised that they had taken at least four seats each to spread out.
“But it’s a long drive, why don’t these ‘guests’ get their own bus?” Jeff sighed as Lindsay gently pushed his legs off the seat and put his backpack in the overhead compartment
“Because it will be a good opportunity to get to know your supporting act, you never know you guys might just make some friends”
“We’ve got friends, we’ve got each other”
The dark haired woman chuckled at the comment yelled from the back of the bus know it had to be Sebastian “You want the truth? You’re a bunch of teenagers under my care and it’s easier to control you if you’re all on the same bus” she laughed and kicked Blaine’s feet out of the way as she tried to head down to the front of the bus.
“Under your care huh?” he smirked and pulled her down onto his lap. Slapping away the hand that rested on her hip, she stood up and smacked the back of his head with a laugh “Um ouch”
“I want all of you to act like normal people for the next eleven hours at least. There are ladies in this group and some might not enjoy the joking around like I do” she insisted “Some might not like being pulled into random people’s laps”
“Oh so you liked?”
“Grow up, sweet cheeks and get your dirty little mind out of the gutter”
“Anything for you my love” he laughed.
Lindsay and Blaine became fast friends when she was first brought in to liaise with the band. As the lead vocalist, Blaine felt he had a responsibility to look out for the younger members of the group. With Lindsay, he found common ground in making sure none of the guys stepped out of line when they shouldn’t.
The pair joked with one another but nothing was ever to come of it. Lindsay’s contract clearly stated that she or any of her colleagues were not allowed to initiate a romantic relationship with a client. Her job as marked by the record company looking after both groups was to simply manage and make sure everything went off without a hitch. Managing didn’t mean romance, not that it affected Lindsay; she had a boy waiting for her back home in New York.
“Just be good ok? All of you”
“Yes Mom!” One of the boys yelled down the bus causing everyone to burst into mini fits of laughter. Lindsay really did feel like their Mom sometimes but they were a good group of kids. She couldn’t ask for a better job than working with such a talented group, touring the country and watching a pretty amazing concert every other night.

XXXXX

The Warblers bus pulled up in front of Will Schuester’s apartment building and the group of teenagers were already in awe. The luxury coach they would spend a lot of the next few months in was the closest any of them had come to a real tour bus. It wasn’t like most with beds and couches but it would get them from city to city which is all they needed.
Lindsay stepped off the bus with a smile as she opened the luggage compartment. As the boys started loading everything on, she made her way over to Will.
“Good morning Miss James” he smiled and extended his hand out to her.
“Please call me Lindsay and its good to see you all again”
“Can we get on the bus? It’s a bit cold out here” one of them asked once their bags were stowed. It would take a little time to learn all their names but Lindsay would get them all eventually.
“Go ahead” she chuckled and stepped back so The New Directions could get onto the bus. She’d introduce herself to all of them again when they were settled and they were on the road to New York. It was going to be a long drive so they had plenty of time.
Lindsay followed the last guy onto the bus laughing softly to herself as she saw the Mohawk shaved into his head. The New Directions were definitely a different sort of group to her Warblers so this tour was going to be interesting to say the least. It could be a disaster waiting to happen or the two groups could mesh effortlessly and the next three months would be a breeze.
“Good morning” Lindsay smiled as she stood at the front of the bus once everyone was settled. Seeing Blaine just open his mouth, she made her way to his seat and kicked it with a sly smirk “I’m Lindsay and I will be your tour director for the next three months. I’m here if you need anything and that goes for Warblers and New Directioners alike. Some of you already call me Mom and in some ways that’s kind of my job. I’m here to organise everything you do in terms of shows and such but I’m also here to look after you guys. I have to ensure that you are all ready to perform” she continued as Blaine opened his mouth once again but was quickly silenced by Lindsay’s hand “Also that this is an eleven hour bus ride so you’re all getting up and introducing yourself to the entire bus. It’s called bonding”
“Lindsay...” half of her Warblers groaned from around the bus
“No excuses” she smirked “I will even start. Hi I’m Lindsay, I’m 25, I’m a Navy brat so I grew up all over the place but I now reside in New York. My favourite colour is red and my favourite food is my Nanna’s Christmas pudding. Simple as that, who’s up next? Blaine maybe?”

XXXXX

“Are we there yet?”
“Yeah, are we even close?”
“How much further Linds?”
“Too far” Lindsay groaned softly as she pulled herself up off her seat. Seven or so hours into the drive and everyone was getting restless. They had stopped for lunch a couple hours before and clearly Geography wasn’t a strong subject in school for a lot of them. With thirty five teenagers on a bus, boredom was going to happen sooner or later. The movies they had fought over for the last couple hours didn’t tame them either. “Alright, everyone sitting closest to the aisle stand up”
“What are we doing Linds?”
“Humouring me now do it”
All of the Warblers and New Directioners sitting on the inside stood up and stared back at Lindsay curious as to what was happening.
“Everyone on my left go sit in the seat behind you, everyone on my right go sit in the seat in front of you. Start a new conversation, make a new friend”
“What?”
“Why?”
“Because I said so, now just do it”
The teenagers reluctantly did as they were told but within minutes conversations had started and complaining had ceased. Lindsay sat back down in her seat and picked up her book once again hoping she could get through the next chapter before another interruption. She didn’t even get through the first line before Will’s face appeared between the seats in front of her.
“Do you really think moving them will work?” he questioned unconvinced that they would have some relief
“Are any of them complaining right now?” she smirked
“Give it time...”
“They’re teenagers Will, of course they will complain in another hour or so, by then I’ll have thought of a new way to entertain them. It’s my job”
“Don’t question it, she’s good” Wes chuckled from in front of her. Working with Lindsay since the start, he was amazed at how well she could tame his kids, especially Blaine and Sebastian when they were being cocky or sassy.
“I’m not convinced”
“Give it time...” she smiled and went back to reading her book. She could just hear from the faint conversations around her that her idea worked. Maybe when they got restless again she’d move them according to their favourite colour or something stupid like that. She worked with all types of people every day; she had to be on the ball when they got fussy.

XXXXX

“Hi” Blaine smiled as he stepped across the aisle and sat down next to a pale and timid guy. Putting down his book, the boy looked up at him with piercing blue eyes “Blaine Anderson, Warbler”
“Kurt Hummel, New Directioner” he chuckled and extended his hand out to Blaine.
Shaking it with a smile, Blaine peered over at the book Kurt had been reading “Fitzgerald? Are you reading that willingly or is it for school?”
“Willingly” Kurt smiled and looked down at his battered copy of F. Scott Fitzgerald’s ‘The Great Gatsby’ “I’m a sucker for a good twisted 1920’s love story. Have you read it?”
“Several times”
“Really?”
Blaine nodded and stood up pulling his tattered copy of The Great Gatsby out of his backpack. Sitting back down beside Kurt, he showed to the pale young man with a smile. The book was thin and held together with electrical tape and a length of string “My Mom gave this to me for my 15th birthday. I can’t tell you how many times I’ve read it”
“That looks almost as bad as my copy of ‘To Kill A Mockingbird’. It’s stuck together with duct tape”
“Read it”
“Alright then, how about the Scarlett Letter?”
“Read it” the curly haired boy chuckled. He was a bit of a bookworm because when he wasn’t singing he usually had his nose in a book.
“Catch 22?”
“Read it”
“Jane Austen’s Emma?” Kurt smirked trying to stump Blaine. There had to be something the Warbler hadn’t read.
“Snored through it” he laughed “I had to read that for school and barely finished it”
“It’s a classic...”
“It was classically painful. Just watch Clueless, it was based off Emma”

XXXXX

Lindsay put down her copy of ‘The Hunger Games’ and caught Will’s attention as she heard the conversation between Kurt and Blaine flow effortlessly. Pointing to them, she smirked and mouthed the word ‘see’ to the unconvinced teacher.
“Give it time, Lindsay”