Glee: Second Generation

Sawyer's junior year was only a couple weeks away; he was officially halfway done with high school and felt he had nothing to show for it. He'd heard countless stories from his parents, Sam and Tina, about the glee club, and had always wished he could join - he'd always had a love for music, between taking dance lessons since he could walk and attending his uncles' concerts whenever their band played in the area - but the club had been disbanded years earlier; it was Principal Sylvester's first action after taking over. He knew that there was no hope for the New Directions, not with Principal Sylvester in charge, but had always hoped that the assistant principal, Mr. Schuester, would override her. Mr. Schue had coached the original New Directions, making them one of the greatest show choirs in the country, with multiple nationals appearances, plus a victory, and the club had an impressive list of alumni, from Tony winners Rachel Berry, Jesse St. James, and Blaine Hummel-Anderson to global superstar Mercedes Jones.

Although Sawyer had gotten to perform and compete at his dance recitals, none of it compared to the stories he'd heard from his parents. Not only were the New Directions a team, they were a family - most of the alumni stayed in touch, many of them passing their friendships on to their kids. Sawyer's best friend, Hepburn, and his younger sister, Bri's, best friend, Vincent, were both the children of friends their parents made in glee club; Hepburn's parents being Kurt and Blaine and Vincent's, Quinn and Puck.

Sawyer knew that the club would have a higher chance of success if he had a roster ready before proposing the idea to Mr. Schue; since Principal Sylvester would do anything to destroy the club, Sawyer needed as many people behind him as possible. To him, the obvious choice was to start by calling the alumni's kids; he was sure most of them had heard the same stories as him. Although many of them had left Lima, enough stuck around for Sawyer to get a decent amount of members, and was sure he could convince them to recruit their friends to fill the vacancies.

The first call he made was to Rosie Chang; she and Sawyer had been friends their entire lives. They met in a dance class taught by Mike, Rosie's father and one of Tina's best friends. Tina had mentioned wanting to find some kind of activity for Sawyer to join, and Mike had offered him a spot in one of his classes. Although Sawyer was hesitant at first, he grew to love it - partially because of Rosie quickly taking him under her wing, both to help him catch up in their routines and becoming his first real friend. He'd always admired her passion for dance, although he wasn't sure how much of that was exaggerated to please her father. Besides, she was one of the few kids left in McKinley, and on top of that, she was a Cheerio; not only was she popular enough to boost the club's image instantly, Sawyer guessed she would be able to recruit some of her teammates, especially since their new coach, Kitty Wilde, would happily let the girls join.

~*~

"So, here's the plan," Sawyer said to Rosie over the phone. "I want to bring back the New Directions. And I was hoping you'd be interested in joining. ...I thought, since our parents were in the original club, and I know you like dance, maybe you'd at least sign up? Even if you don't stick with it, if I could just get enough names to build up a decent roster... That way I can get some names before I ask Mr. Schue."

Sawyer was nervous to hear Rosie giggling on the other line, unsure if she was happy about the idea or preparing to make fun of him. "I'd love to help you."

Sawyer sat up, surprised by her response. "Wait, are you serious?"

"Of course! And I can help you recruit too." Rosie paused for a moment while she brainstormed an idea, rolling her eyes at Sugar's off-key singing coming from downstairs. Then, a plan came to her. "I can ask my mom to fund the club! Then the faculty will have one less argument against you."

Sawyer hadn't even considered funding, something he'd heard his parents mention the club struggling with in the past. "Yes! Thank you. ...And you can tell her that she can take a cut of the prize money from any competition we win until she's paid back." He wasn't entirely sure how the competition prizes worked, but still, he was confident that he'd be able to lead the club to victory.

Rosie laughed. "Sawyer, my mom comes from a piano empire. I think we'll be okay."

Sawyer blushed. "Right. ...Thank her for me, okay? I mean, if she says yes."

"I will." Rosie hung up, then followed her mom's voice to the kitchen, where Sugar was baking. Rosie, knowing her mom had never had a success in the kitchen, ran in to take over. "Hey, Mom. ...Is it okay if I join in?"

"Of course it is!" Sugar exclaimed. "We're making red velvet cupcakes. Since your dad is coming back from Mercedes Jones's tour tomorrow, we're going to surprise them with these!"

Rosie examined the batter to figure out the mistakes Sugar had already made and attempted to fix them. "So, I just got off the phone with Sawyer."

Sugar gasped. "What did he say?"

Rosie laughed to herself, shaking her head. Sometimes, she forgot Sugar was her mother and not her sister. "He wants to bring the New Directions back. So he's trying to recruit a bunch of people before asking Mr. Schuester for approval."

"I can move the alumni back to Lima!" Sugar offered. "Well, the ones with kids in high school."

Rosie looked up at Sugar, unsure if she'd heard her correctly. "Huh?"

"Yeah!" Sugar beamed, proud of her ridiculous idea. "I can pay for their houses and everything!"

Rosie stared at the counter, unsure of what to say. She knew that Sugar's idea wouldn't work, but knew there was no way she could talk her out of it. Finally, she sighed and looked up at her mother. "Okay. Thanks."

~*~

Eleanor came downstairs to greet her parents, who had just gotten home from work, with a smile on her face; something unusual enough for both of them to question it. "Hi!" she grinned. "How was work?"

"It was good," Will replied with a slight smile. "What are you so happy about?"

"Oh, nothing," Eleanor replied, stepping into the kitchen to start gathering the ingredients Emma would need for dinner.

Will sighed, hanging his coat up and taking a seat on the couch. "It's not Vincent, is it?" he asked, getting a glare from Emma. Vincent was Eleanor's new boyfriend, who Will already didn't approve of, simply because he was Quinn and Puck's son, as well as the younger brother of Shawn, who was in his office at least twice a week.

"No," Eleanor laughed. "I just got off the phone with Sawyer."

At the mention of Sawyer's name, Will smiled, sitting up straight. "Really?"

"What did you talk about?" Emma asked, finally joining Eleanor in the kitchen.

"He wants to revive the New Directions, actually," Eleanor explained, looking over at her father. "And we'll need faculty support, obviously. And members. So he called me."

"That's amazing!" Will replied. He smiled as he looked up at the ceiling, reminiscing about his days in glee club, both as a student and a teacher. "It'll be good for you. I'll never forget the friends I made through glee club. And my teacher, Mrs. Adler... She taught me some of the greatest lessons I've ever learned." He stood up, walking over to his desk, where he kept every glee club photo he'd ever taken. "I hope my kids think of me that way too."

Eleanor took advantage of his brief pause to speak up before he could start rambling again. "So we can do it?"

Will finally looked up from the picture he was gazing at. "Of course we can!"

"Well, we do have one small problem," Emma pointed out. "Sue Sylvester."

"I'm not afraid of Sue," Will admitted. "The kids have soul. She can't take that away. We defeated her before, we'll do it again."

"But she's the principal now," Emma pointed out. "You can't really go against her."

"I'll figure it out," Will replied, looking over at Eleanor with a smile.

~*~

After a week of phone calls, Sawyer and Sugar had managed to convince all of the alumni to join their revived club. Sawyer had done it all without mentioning a word of it to his parents, not wanting to give them the chance to talk him out of it. Finally, now that it was too late to turn back, he decided to break the news to them over dinner.

Hepburn, who stayed at the Cohen-Evans house every summer, had gotten the call from his dads that they would be moving to Lima, a result of Sugar's part of the plan. He'd managed to fake excitement over the phone; it was something he should have been happy about. He'd always preferred Lima over New York; the big city never felt right for him, and he loved spending time with Sawyer and his family. But the worst part about going home wasn't the city itself; it was his dads. They had such high and specific expectations for him, expectations that Tracy never failed to exceed. Although Hepburn was successful in his own way, being the best football player in his school, and becoming the first freshman to make varsity, it never seemed to be enough for Kurt and Blaine.

"So," Sawyer said, "I have an announcement."

"What is it?" Tina asked, immediately giving him her undivided attention.

"I'm reviving the New Directions. And before you say anything, I have a whole roster already. I had Rosie help me, we called all the alumni's kids, they all agreed to join. And Sugar's even moving everyone back to Lima."

Sam and Tina were both silent for a moment, shocked that Sawyer had managed to secretly pull this off. "I'm impressed," Tina admitted. "And proud."

"This is gonna be awesome!" Sam exclaimed. "I've always wanted the club back, but whenever I mention it, Sue threatens to fire me." He worked at McKinley as a gym teacher and the varsity football coach, a position he took over after Sheldon Beiste's retirement.

Bri stayed quiet, although she was paying attention. She was genuinely interested in what Sawyer had to say and impressed by his plan, but she didn't care to join the club herself and didn't want to give anyone the wrong idea.

"The only thing I'm missing is a faculty advisor," Sawyer said casually, going back to his dinner.

"I'll do it," Sam offered with no hesitation. "Mr. Schue already offered me the job once. So I know I can."

"Awesome!" Sawyer smiled. "Thanks, Dad."

"Hepburn," Tina said, noticing that he hadn't spoken, "are you okay?" She didn't question Bri - her silence wasn't unusual - but Tina couldn't remember the last time Hepburn hadn't participated in a conversation.

"My dads already told me," Hepburn replied. "They said they're moving back here so I could join."

"That's great!" Sawyer said. "I was hoping you would. I know it's not really your thing, but..."

"Yeah." Hepburn faked a smile. "I guess I'm just not too excited since I already knew. ...But it's gonna be fun." No matter what, Hepburn always refused to admit when something was wrong - especially no that Sawyer was so excited.

~*~

Soon enough, it was finally time to start setting the choir room up. Will had to go behind Sue's back to get district approval, and still hadn't told her about the club, but he was determined to make it work somehow.

Will and Sam had recruited Eleanor, Sawyer, Hepburn, Bri, Emma, Tina, and Theo, Will and Emma's son, to help set up - Hepburn had already left to move into the new house with his dads. Tina, Sawyer, and Theo set the furniture out while Sam and Will sorted through the sheet music that had been left behind by the original club. Bri and Eleanor were standing off to the side together, somehow both avoiding getting an assignment.

"So," Will said, "what's your first lesson gonna be?"

"I, uh... I'm not sure," Sam admitted. "I'm kinda new to this. I mean, I know I've been a teacher for a while, but that's just gym, there's a set curriculum, I don't have to think..."

"Sam," Will interrupted, "do you want help?"

"Yes!" Sam replied. "Thanks, Mr. Schue. I can't do this without you. You're, like, the glee club expert. You're like my Yoda."

Will laughed. "I'll talk to Theo about being your assistant. I can't be an advisor and assistant principal. But he's great. And he has musical experience. He was in a band, but he's pursuing a solo career now." Will finished sorting through his current stack of sheet music, then turned to Theo. "Hey, c'mere for a second."

Theo ran over. "Yeah?"

"You're the new assistant coach for the New Directions," Will said, not giving him or Sam a choice. "Congratulations."

"Me?" Theo asked. "Why? ...Why not Daniel?" Theo had a difficult relationship with Daniel; not only was he the favorite child of both Will and Emma, he was also the manager of a successful rock band, yet hadn't offered any help while Theo's band was struggling.

"Daniel's busy," Will explained. "And he has to stay in New York with the band. You know this." Theo just rolled his eyes and went back to setting out the chairs, knowing there was no use in arguing.

Meanwhile, Bri and Eleanor were getting to know each other; despite being in the same grade and attending the same school their entire lives, they'd never actually spoken. "So, are you joining the club?" Bri asked.

"I don't have much of a choice," Eleanor replied, half-jokingly. "Are you?"

"Yeah," Bri replied. "I don't have a choice either."

"It'll be fun though," Eleanor insisted.

Bri nodded. "I know. I just don't like putting myself out there, that's all. So the idea of singing in front of a crowd is basically torture."

Eleanor laughed. "I agree. The only perk of being the assistant principal's daughter is that I can get out of any assignment or activity I want. ...Well, except this."

Bri turned to Eleanor. "So that's why I've never seen you before." Eleanor stayed quiet, so Bri continued, trying to save some awkwardness. "It's not a bad thing. People only know me because of my brother." Sawyer was popular, the type of person to make friends with everyone. Bri's comment hadn't been an exaggeration; most people only knew her as Sawyer's sister.

"Well, there's also the way you dress," Eleanor pointed out before quickly realizing it seemed like an insult. "Sorry. I just meant, I have noticed you before. You always have really cool outfits."

"Thanks," Bri said with a small smile. "I am really proud of my style. Most people won't know anything about me besides my brother's name and the way I dress, so why not make the best impression I can?"

Eleanor nodded. "I like that."

~*~

Hepburn never liked going back to school, usually because it meant going back to New York. But somehow, the night before his sophomore year was the worst yet. The only good thing was not having to wait until Christmas to see Sawyer again.

He was on a FaceTime call with his older sister, Katharine - the only family member he actually got along with and spoke to by choice. Katharine, who recently turned 18, had moved out as soon as she could. She only hesitated to leave because she felt bad going without Hepburn, but he'd promised to call at least once a week, and so far, had managed to follow through.

"So... what are you doing anyway?" Katharine asked. Hepburn was only half-listening to her, scrolling through his phone.

"Looking for an audition song," he replied. Then, realizing he hadn't told her everything, he finally turned to the screen of his laptop, where he had called from. "Oh, we moved to Lima so I could join the New Directions. That glee club our dads were in. Sawyer brought it back."

"You could just not join," Katharine shrugged. She, unlike her brother, was never the type to do something to please others.

"Yeah, and make our dads hate me even more?" Hepburn asked, not realizing Blaine, who was in the bedroom across the hall, could hear everything he was saying.

"Stop being such a pessimist," Katharine teased. "Maybe it'll be fun." Hepburn shook his head, turning back to his phone.

"Kat, who are you talking to?" Noelle, Katharine's girlfriend and roommate, asked, taking a seat on the couch next to her. She gasped when she saw Hepburn on the screen. Although they'd never met in person, they were still close from Katharine and Hepburn's calls, which Noelle often joined in on.

"Hepburn's joining the New Directions," Katharine laughed.

"Oh, God," Noelle said, also laughing. Her parents hadn't joined, but were McKinley alumni with a history with the club; her father Rick, had bullied a few of the members, and her mother, Suzy, had a teenage crush on Will.

"Yeah, so don't tell your mom," Katharine joked, causing her and Noelle to laugh harder.

"Anyway, Hepburn," Noelle said, regaining her composure, "don't join just to please your dads and Sawyer, okay?"

Katharine turned to Noelle. "Is that not exactly what you did in high school?" Noelle had not only joined the Cheerios, but had also been captain, just because her dad wanted her to.

Noelle ignored Katharine. "Do what you want, Hepburn."

"I'll give the club a chance, at least," Hepburn replied. "But only because it's important to Sawyer."

"Well, you're still doing football, right?" Katharine asked.

"Obviously, yeah."

"We should let you sleep," Katharine said. "You have school tomorrow. And your audition."

Hepburn laughed. "Who are you, my mom?"

"Yeah," Katharine replied. "You need one."

"Actually, Santana is my mom," Hepburn pointed out. Santana was used as his egg donor, and although Hepburn knew Santana didn't see him as her child, she had promised to be there whenever he needed her, an offer he never took her up on.

"Whatever," Katharine replied. "Go to bed." Then, she quickly hung up before Hepburn could argue.

Hepburn rolled his eyes as he closed his laptop. He started getting ready for bed, not because Katharine told him to, but because he knew his dads would question him staying up so late.

When Blaine heard Hepburn in the hall, he came out of the bedroom to talk to him. "Hey, Hepburn."

Hepburn paused, looking up at his father, confused since they rarely spoke when they didn't have to. "Um... hi?"

"Are you excited for glee club?"

"I guess," Hepburn replied, not wanting to disappoint him too much, but not having the energy to fully lie either.

Blaine took a step closer. "You don't have to join, you know." He made sure to keep his voice quiet, not wanting Kurt to overhear him.

Hepburn wasn't sure what to say. He didn't want to, but even more than that, he didn't want to disappoint his dads. As much as he pretended to hate them, the last thing he wanted to do was disappoint them more than he already had. This was his chance to finally make them proud; he didn't want to give that up. "I want to," he finally said.

Blaine sighed, knowing that wasn't true, but not wanting to argue. "We're proud of you, you know."

Hepburn smiled, mostly to stop himself from tearing up. Even though he knew that wasn't true, it still felt good to finally hear it. "Thanks. ...I'm gonna go to bed. Goodnight." He rushed back to his room, not wanting Blaine to notice his eyes watering.

~*~

Audrey sat on the couch, watching as Monroe got ready to leave for school. Although Dalton started two days after McKinley, the dorming students, including Monroe, all needed to be moved in by the first day.

As Sebastian brought Monroe's bags out to the car, Hunter adjusted his uniform, which the students were expected to wear on campus at all times, regardless of if classes were in session. "This is extremely important," Hunter said. "Don't forget that."

"I know." Monroe wanted to point out that he'd attended Dalton the previous year too, but knew better than to talk back.

"I expect good grades. Good performances, both with the Warblers and on the lacrosse field. And for you to be captain of both teams. I won't accept anything less. Our legacy depends on it."

"You'll do fine," Sebastian interrupted. "Don't worry."

"He should worry," Hunter argued.

Audrey and Sebastian looked at each other, both knowing how crazy Hunter sounded. Finally, Audrey spoke up, knowing she needed to change the subject somehow. "Okay, Monroe, good luck!" Not only did she want Hunter to stop talking, she also wanted him out of the house; he'd be the one driving Monroe to Dalton.

"I left my jacket in Audrey's room," Monroe said. "...And she needs to come up with me. I know she won't want me in there unsupervised." He wanted to speak with Audrey alone, without Hunter interrupting constantly, and it was the best excuse he could come up with in the moment.

Everyone was surprised that Hunter didn't start screaming at Monroe. "Fine. But make it quick."

Monroe grabbed Audrey's hand, dragging her upstairs. Once they were out of earshot of their dads, Audrey asked, "Why's your jacket in my room?"

"It's obviously not," Monroe mumbled. "I wanted to talk to you without them listening." Monroe did go into his room to grab a jacket, not wanting Hunter to be angry if he returned empty handed. "Good luck this year. And don't let them drive you crazy."

"You're the one who needs luck," Audrey replied. "They don't care what I do."

Monroe sighed, turning to Audrey. "I wish I didn't have to go."

"Okay, so don't." They both knew that Monroe had no choice; before he'd even started school, their dads had already decided he'd attend Dalton, and Hunter had always wanted him to dorm to fully immerse himself in the school's culture.

Monroe pulled Audrey into a tight hug. "We need to get downstairs before Hunter kills us both."

As soon as they came back downstairs, Hunter asked, "What took so long?"

"I'm sorry," Monroe replied. "It was in the hall closet."

Hunter rolled his eyes, but surprisingly, didn't fight. "Let's not waste any more time." He went outside without another word, Monroe following close behind.

Audrey watched them go, already starting to miss her brother. She hoped Hunter wouldn't give him a hard time during the drive, but knew it was too much to ask.

"Audrey?" Sebastian asked. "Are you ready to go?"

"Yeah," Audrey replied, grabbing her backpack. "I'm ready."

~*~

Meanwhile, Rachel was making breakfast with her son, Freddie, who she'd forced to help her. He pretended to be happy about helping; Rachel still saw him as her baby, even though she already viewed his twin brother as an adult, and wanted to do everything with him. Even though he didn't want to go along with it, he knew it could be used to his advantage.

"Are you excited for glee club?" Rachel asked.

"Yeah!" Freddie replied, purposely exaggerating his excitement. "I can't wait. ...But I'm kinda nervous too." They had just moved to New York, so he'd be starting a new school as well.

"You'll love it," Rachel smiled. "It was the best part of my life."

Jesse came into the kitchen, passing through on his way out the door. "Hello, good morning, and goodbye."

"Jesse," Rachel said, catching him right before he walked out, "where's Brice?"

"His light's still off," Jesse replied as he left the room.

Rachel sighed. "Freddie, get your brother, please."

Freddie went upstairs, knocking on Brice's bedroom door. "Mom wants you downstairs."

Brice groaned, but did get out of bed, knowing Rachel would march up herself if he didn't.

"Are you okay?" Freddie asked, noticing Brice had clearly just woken up.

"I really don't wanna do this," Brice admitted.

Freddie paused for a moment, trying to figure out how to comfort him. "At least we're together now." They had attended separate schools in New York - Freddie, a performing arts school, and Brice, an all-boys school.

Brice just nodded, knowing Freddie had no idea how important that really was to him. Brice was always anxious when Freddie wasn't with him. "Yeah... Let's go before Mom freaks out." He rushed downstairs, with Freddie following.

Rachel ran to hug Brice as soon as he stepped into the kitchen. "There you are!"

Brice stood still, surprised by Rachel's affection. "It's not like I was missing."

As soon as Rachel pulled away from the hug, she noticed Brice was visibly upset. "Don't worry, okay? You'll like McKinley."

Brice nodded. "I'm just overthinking, I guess."

"I understand. But Freddie will be there. And Hepburn. You won't be alone." Since Rachel and Kurt had been best friends since high school, they tried passing that friendship onto their kids as well. Although Brice and Hepburn were close, attending school together wasn't comforting; Brice was in constant competition with Hepburn.

"Yeah. I'll be fine." Brice knew Rachel wouldn't stop until he felt better, but also didn't think she was actually capable of helping him.

"Keep an eye on Freddie for me, okay?" Rachel asked. Freddie looked over at her, confused.

"I will," Brice assured her. He didn't point out that Freddie was capable of taking care of himself, and had been doing so at school for years. Like Rachel, Brice had always been overly protective of him.

~*~

Brice spent most of the day avoiding everyone. He was at his locker, trying not to draw any attention to himself, when Hepburn approached him. "Hey, Brice. ...You're auditioning for glee, right?"

Brice glanced at him briefly. "My parents are forcing me. And I want to keep an eye on Freddie."

"Well, I'm only joining for my parents," Hepburn said, leaning against the locker. "And Sawyer. So we have something in common, I guess." Brice rolled his eyes. "...And you're trying out for football, right? So that's another thing."

Brice knew Hepburn played football, but somehow, it never occurred to him that they'd be trying out together. He'd already been stressed about tryouts, but now felt even more pressure to make varsity. Although he knew Hepburn was better than him, he refused to admit it. But he also refused to admit how stressed he was. "...Cool. Anyway, I have to go find Freddie. Bye." Brice slammed his locker shut and ran down the hall before Hepburn could say anything.

~*~

Bri sat alone during lunch. Usually, her best friend, Vincent, would join her, but he was nowhere to be seen. She didn't mind it too much; she missed him, of course, but liked to have occasional time alone, and she didn't think he'd abandoned her, just that their lunch periods must've not aligned.

Audrey had also been alone, since she didn't have any friends in McKinley. She'd gone to private schools previously, but managed to convince her dads to put her in a public high school. Eventually, Audrey approached Bri, the only other person sitting alone. "Can I sit with you?"

Bri looked up at Audrey, confused, since she'd never seen her before. "Um... sure."

"Thanks," Audrey said, taking a seat at the opposite side of the table from Bri. "I'm Audrey, by the way."

"I'm Bri. ...Are you new?"

"I just transferred from Crawford," Audrey explained. "I hated it."

"So it's not for glee?" Bri, after noticing Audrey was confused, explained, "My brother's bringing back the New Directions. So all the alumni moved back for their kids to join. ...But it's not exclusive. You could audition if you wanted to."

Audrey immediately thought of a plan. She knew Hunter would hate if she joined, especially if the New Directions managed to defeat the Warblers. But it was too soon to tell Bri that; she didn't want to seem untrustworthy, especially so soon. So, she changed the subject. "Why are you by yourself?"

"Because Vincent's not here," Bri replied. Then, she remembered Audrey wouldn't know him. "My best friend. I guess he has a different lunch period."

Rather than the cafeteria, Vincent was having lunch in the choir room with Eleanor since she didn't like crowds. Eleanor glanced at Vincent, who was sitting beside her. "Are you okay?"

Vincent nodded. "I just feel kinda bad for ditching Bri, I guess."

"You don't have to stay," Eleanor assured him. "You can go to the cafeteria, I'll be okay. Or you can ask her to join us."

"No, it's fine." Vincent hadn't told Bri about Eleanor yet; he wanted to have a conversation with her, and the opportunity for one never came up.

Eleanor nodded, although she still felt bad, especially knowing Bri didn't have any other friends. She hadn't realized how significant her relationship with Vincent was until he mentioned wanting to discuss it with Bri in person.

"I'm gonna talk to Bri after school," Vincent insisted.

~*~

Auditions began with everyone sitting in the auditorium together. The students were gathered together in the center seats, directly in front of the stage, with the exception of Brice, who was sitting on the far left of the room.

Sloane was the last to arrive; she'd been helping her mom, Kitty, clean up the gym after a Cheerios practice. She recognized Brice; although they never formally met, she'd heard stories about him, specifically about how he was planning on joining the football team - the only player she knew of other than Hepburn. As the head Cheerio, Sloane desperately wanted a football player as her boyfriend, at least for the season, but knew Hepburn was gay. So, she settled for Brice, deciding to get a head start by taking a seat next to him. "Are you alright?"

"I'm fine," Brice replied quickly. Then, he admitted, "I'm a little nervous, I've never sang in front of anyone before. And my parents are Rachel Berry and Jesse St. James, I have a lot to live up to... And I know Freddie's gonna do good, he practically grew up onstage." Despite that being the most he'd ever told anyone, it still wasn't the full truth; he wanted to be the best in the club, something he knew he'd never achieve.

"You'll do great," Sloane said, putting her hand on Brice's. "Besides, my mom told me that everyone gets in. Auditions are just to determine your vocal range."

"I don't care about that. I just don't want to disappoint anyone."

"You won't."

"...I'm gonna go practice."

Brice walked down the aisle calmly, but once he walked through the auditorium's doors, he sprinted down the hallway towards the faculty bathroom - the only single-stall bathroom in the school, that they kept unlocked after hours.

He locked the door behind him, then shoved his fist in his mouth and bit down on his knuckles. He wanted to scream, but knew he wasn't far enough to guarantee nobody would hear him. Finally, he managed to calm himself down enough to drop his hand and rinse his face off in the sink.

He turned the water off and hung his head before slowly looking up at the mirror. He'd only managed to calm himself down for a moment before he needed to grip the edges of the sink tightly, once again trying to get his emotions out without any noise.

He closed his eyes tightly, doing everything he could think of to distract himself with no success. All he could think about was somehow messing his audition up so badly that he became the only person to be rejected from the club, something that was guaranteed to get back to his family, and would solidify his role as the disappointment, so much so that, no matter what he did, he'd never be able to come back from it.

Brice needed perfection. He'd spent the entire night practicing his audition, there was no doubt that he knew every word, note, and beat. Still, he was convinced that he would forget it all the moment he stepped onstage.

The same applied to his football tryout. He knew exactly what the coaches would be looking for, and made sure to practice everything nonstop. No matter how exhausted he was, he couldn't leave the field until everything was perfect; that was the key to the perfect player - resilience and stamina.

Even on the days when he was especially tired from staying awake all night to memorize his audition song, or when he was sick from skipping a meal his mom made that wouldn't benefit his exercise or that he felt he didn't earn, he couldn't stop until everything was perfect.

He wasn't sure what he would do if he didn't succeed.

Any attempt he made to calm down wasn't successful, but he knew he needed to pull himself together before the audition. He couldn't risk doing anything that could hold him back.

"I can't feel my toes or my fingertips. My chest is pounding so fast, I can't keep up with it."

He took a deep breath, despite knowing it wouldn't help. There was nothing he could do; the closest he ever came to calming his anxiety was by distracting himself by practicing football, something he wouldn't be able to do before his audition.

"Ana, save me. Ana, hear me.

I need a fix, Ana fix, and I'm sick of this, showing people my tics and my tricks, Ana judging me, Ana, save me, Ana, hear me."

Brice always tried to fake a smile. It never seemed fair to put the issues he couldn't even handle himself on someone else. That made everything harder, silently struggling while everyone else unknowingly added more pressure, but to him, it seemed to be the best option.

"Oh Ana, I'll be with you still. You are the angel that I couldn't kill."

Brice believed he was beyond saving; he'd never actually tried, but he didn't see how anything could help. Even if he found some temporary solution, nothing could permanently fix him. It was something he'd always have to live with, so he didn't see the point in bothering anyone else with it.

"Well, if that's what they're giving me, the pills are my necessity now. You won't fix my attitude, 'cause Ana does it better than you."

The last thing he would ever expect was genuine concern from his parents. He couldn't blame them for never noticing his issues, he made an effort to hide them. But even if he dropped the act, he knew his parents would be in deep denial. To him, it was almost too obvious that there was something they refused to acknowledge about Freddie; Brice hated making assumptions, but he couldn't look past Freddie's unusual quirks and the obvious mask he hid behind, but to Rachel, Freddie was nothing but perfect, and Jesse never paid enough attention to notice.

"Ana, save me. Ana, hear me. Ana, baby, I'm not crazy, oh, Ana, oh, Ana. Oh, Ana, I'll be with you still. You are the angel that I couldn't kill.

Ana, you save my soul. Can you let me have my heart for a minute?"

Brice was trapped, no matter what he did. Trapped by the inability to control his emotions, and by everyone around him refusing to see any issue.

"I suffer for a living. There has to be a limit."

Although he didn't want help, he wished he had the option.

"You know I love you so, but that's what I've been given. Ana, Ana."

Instead , he'd learned to make peace with the fact that there seemed to be no way out.

"Oh, Ana I'll be with you still. You are the angel that I couldn't kill."

He'd lasted 15 years already; surely it couldn't be all bad.

"Ana, I'll be with you still. You are the angel that I couldn't kill."

Besides, it was motivation - he needed to be the best version of himself that he could.

"You know I love you so. Ana, you save my soul. Ana, Ana."

The best form of control was a mind that would never let you escape.

"You know I love you so. Ana, you save my soul.

Suffer for a living, there has to be a limit."

He knew he sounded crazy, trying to convince himself that something so damaging was somehow saving him. But it seemed like the closest he'd ever come to overcoming it. It was part of his life, whether he liked it or not.

"My anxiety traps me like a prison."

But he knew he needed to do something if he wanted to get through his audition.

"Ana does it better."

He knew he needed some motivation to succeed; to convince himself to try his best in a club that, truthfully, he couldn't care less about.

"Ana does it better."

He needed to be perfect. The best version of himself wasn't good enough.

"Ana does it better.

Don't make me lose control!"

Eventually, Brice managed to calm himself down enough to go back to the auditorium. If nothing else, he could use his emotions to enhance his performance.

~*~

Bri sat in the hallway outside the auditorium with Vincent beside her as they waited to be called in for their auditions. Although he'd promised to finally tell her about Eleanor, which he did intend to do, he struggled to find the words.

"So," Vincent said, wanting to break the silence, "what are you gonna sing for your audition?"

Bri shrugged. "I haven't thought about it to be honest. Maybe 'Still Into You.' It's one of my favorite songs, so I know all the words, and it's good for showing off."

Vincent nodded. "Good choice."

"What about you?"

"Oh, uh-" Then, Vincent noticed Eleanor stepping out of the auditorium, having just finished her audition. She gave Vincent a small smile, then walked down the hall; on the way to the guidance office to see her mom, Vincent assumed. "Bri, I have to tell you something."

Bri wasn't sure why, but she suddenly felt her heart begin to race. "Yeah?"

"I have a girlfriend," he replied. "Eleanor."

Bri knew she was supposed to be happy for him, but somehow, she felt disappointed. Not wanting to jump to conclusions, she asked, "Since when?"

"Over the summer," Vincent explained, nervously pulling at his sleeve. "I would've told you sooner, but I wanted to tell you in person and we haven't spent much time together..."

Although she knew it wasn't his or Eleanor's intention, she couldn't help feeling betrayed by both of them. Her and Vincent had spoken several times over the summer, and she thought she was beginning to become friends with Eleanor as well. Before she could call him out, Theo called her in for her audition.

As Bri stormed onstage, she couldn't help but think about Vincent and Eleanor, and the anger she felt towards him. "Hey, Bri," Sam said, smiling as his daughter took the stage.

"What are you singing?" Will asked.

"'Skin' by Sabrina Carpenter," Bri replied, without fully thinking it through.

"Alright," Will said, making a note of her song choice. "Whenever you're ready."

"Maybe we could've been friends, if I met you in another life."

Bri knew that it wasn't Eleanor's responsibility to break the news to her; she wasn't sure if Eleanor had any idea of how close she and Vincent were. But somehow, that only made things worse, if Vincent never cared to bring her up.

"Maybe then we could pretend, there's no gravity in the words we write. Maybe you didn't mean it, maybe blonde was the only rhyme, the only rhyme."

She knew it was ridiculous to think either of them had any intention to hurt her, and truthfully, she wasn't sure why it hurt so much.

"Want my heart to be breaking, breaking, no, I'm happy and you hate it, hate it, oh. And I'm not asking you to let it go, but you been telling your side, so I'll be telling mine, oh.

You can try, to get under my, under my, under my skin, while he's on mine, yeah, all on my, all on my, all on my skin."

Secretly, Bri had always assumed she would be with Vincent; she didn't think of it as a crush, more of a special bond that somehow, would lead to some sort of agreement to marry in the future that they'd inevitably follow through with.

"I wish you knew that even you, can't get under my skin, if I don't let you in."

It was selfish, maybe, but even though Vincent was with Eleanor, Bri knew that Vincent would always be hers, whether they agreed or not.

"You're telling it how you see it, like truth is whatever you decide. Some people will believe it, and some will read in between the lines."

Bri and Vincent had been a duo for as long as she could remember; if she wasn't seen as Sawyer's sister, she was Vincent's best friend. She found it hard to believe that Eleanor hadn't heard about them, even if it hadn't been from Vincent. Bri wanted to ask her why she stayed silent during their conversation, but couldn't bring herself to speak to her.

"You're putting me in the spotlight, but I've been under it all my life, said, all my life."

Even though she hadn't made it through her audition yet, Bri was already beginning to understand the appeal of being onstage. Even with people watching her - although Sam, Theo, and Will didn't compare to some of the crowd sizes in her future - she felt energized. She'd never felt so free to express her emotions.

"Want my heart to be breaking, breaking, no, I'm happy and you hate it, hate it, oh. And I'm not asking you to let it go, but you been telling your side, so I'll be telling mine.

You can try, to get under my, under my, under my skin, while he's on mine, yeah, all on my, all on my, all on my skin. I wish you knew that even you, can't get under my skin, if I don't let you in."

Sam had never expected the level of energy from Bri; he'd known that she wasn't excited to join, and she'd always preferred to blend into the background. He had been looking forward to her audition, but expected a simple song, just enough to show off her skills.

"I just hope that one day, we both can laugh about it, when it's not in our face, won't have to dance around it. Don't drive yourself insane, it won't always be this way."

Bri didn't want to spend their relationship feeling bitter. She didn't want to give up years of friendship over something so silly, and knew that she and Eleanor could eventually become friends too. But for now, she wasn't sure how to put her anger aside.

"You can try, to get under my, under my, under my skin, while he's on mine, yeah, all on my, all on my, all on my skin. I wish you knew that even you, can't get under my skin, if I don't let you in."

"Awesome job, Bri!" Sam said as the song ended.

"Yeah," Theo agreed. "You had great energy."

"Thank you."

~*~

Audrey stayed off to the side in the hall. She had decided to audition, but wasn't sure the other members would accept her. She'd arrived late, skipping the initial meeting where the teachers explained the audition process, and had been waiting for Bri.

When she noticed Bri storm out of the auditorium, she wanted to talk to her and make sure everything was okay, but before she had the chance, she was called in for her own audition.

She noticed the confusion on the teachers' faces when she stepped onstage; she was the only one none of them recognized. "So, Audrey," Will said, "how'd you hear about the club?"

"Bri told me about it," she replied. "And I know my dad would lose his mind if he found out I auditioned."

"That's the opposite of most people," Theo pointed out. He would know; he was one of them.

"Who's your dad?" Sam asked.

"Hunter Clarington. And Sebastian Smythe," Audrey replied. She noticed Sam give Will a side-eye; it wasn't that he didn't trust Audrey, but he knew all about her dads, and the lengths they'd go to for the Warblers. "...My brother is the captain of the Warblers. But I'm not a spy! I want to beat them. My brother is the golden child, obviously, and I don't mind it, but I still think it'd be really funny if we won."

"Okay," Will said, wanting to give her the benefit of the doubt. "What are you singing?"

"'Pink Pony Club.'"

Will nodded. "Whenever you're ready."

"I know you wanted me to stay, but I can't ignore the crazy visions of me in LA."

Audrey knew what was expected of her - nothing. But, most importantly, she was told to stay out of Monroe's way. Hunter had a very specific plan for him, and the last thing he wanted was for anyone to interfere.

"And I heard that there's a special place, where boys and girls can all be queens every single day."

"I'm having wicked dreams of leaving Tennessee. Hear Santa Monica, I swear it's calling me. Won't make my mama proud, it's gonna cause a scene. She sees her baby girl, I know she's gonna scream."

She almost felt bad dragging Monroe down with her, but knew it was for the best. She'd always known he was miserable with the life their dads forced on him, but he would never stand up for himself.

"God, what have you done? You're a pink pony girl, and you dance at the club. Oh mama, I'm just having fun, on the stage in my heels, it's where I belong down at the Pink Pony Club. I'm gonna keep on dancing at the Pink Pony Club. I'm gonna keep on dancing down in West Hollywood. I'm gonna keep on dancing at the Pink Pony Club, Pink Pony Club."

Audrey wasn't sure how to break the news to her dads; the best option seemed to be to work as hard as she could in the New Directions to earn a feature at sectionals, then surprise her dads by appearing onstage.

"I'm up and jaws are on the floor, lovers in the bathroom and a line outside the door. Black lights and a mirrored disco ball, every night's another reason why I left it all."

Audrey had high hopes for the New Directions. She'd never felt accepted anywhere; she'd been too focused on trying to get approval from her dads, who she finally accepted would never appreciate her. Now that she didn't care anymore, she was finally ready to create her own image.

"I thank my wicked dreams a year from Tennessee. Oh, Santa Monica, you've been too good to me. Won't make my mama proud, it's gonna cause a scene. She sees her baby girl, I know she's gonna scream,

God, what have you done? You're a pink pony girl, and you dance at the club. Oh mama, I'm just having fun, on the stage in my heels. It's where I belong down at the Pink Pony Club. I'm gonna keep on dancing at the Pink Pony Club. I'm gonna keep on dancing down in West Hollywood. I'm gonna keep on dancing at the Pink Pony Club, Pink Pony Club."

Audrey knew she shouldn't be excited for Hunter's reaction. He'd always been extreme; even though he'd never put his hands on her, she'd seen it happen to Monroe several times. The only thing Hunter hated her for was that she wouldn't be able to continue the Warblers' legacy. But going out of her way to destroy it, she wasn't sure he'd ever forgive that. But she didn't care; not after everything Hunter had put her and Monroe through.

"Don't think I've left you all behind. Still love you and Tennessee, you're always on my mind."

Audrey never hated Sebastian. He wasn't innocent; he had let Hunter get away with too much, never directly standing up for the kids, only offering occasional comfort once Hunter finally left them alone. But at least he was aware that Hunter was crazy, and didn't put nearly as much pressure on Monroe.

"And mama, every Saturday, I can hear your southern drawl a thousand miles away, saying,

God, what have you done? You're a pink pony girl, and you dance at the club. Oh mama, I'm just having fun, on the stage in my heels, It's where I belong down at the Pink Pony Club. I'm gonna keep on dancing at the Pink Pony Club. I'm gonna keep on dancing down in West Hollywood. I'm gonna keep on dancing at the Pink Pony Club, Pink Pony Club."

Audrey finished out the song strong. For her first performance, she already had plenty of confidence, as well as strength and emotion behind her voice.

"Great job, Audrey!" Will said.

"Yeah, you were awesome," Theo added. "We'll see you at rehearsal."

"Thank you." Bri had mentioned that everyone who auditioned would get it; Audrey knew she still had a lot to prove.

~*~

Eden knew she had big shoes to fill, with her mom being one of the biggest pop stars in the world. Still, she wasn't worried; she knew she was talented.

She stood off to the side, away from the other members, practicing her song. She knew the song well, but wanted to add her own touch to it; every time she ran through it, she tried to add something new to it.

Zoe was walking down the hall, noticing the crowd outside the auditorium. She couldn't help but feel curious; although she never had the confidence to perform, she always had a love for the arts.

Eventually, she worked up the courage to approach Eden. "Hey... what's going on?"

"Auditions for the glee club," Eden replied. "Are you interested?"

Zoe shook her head. "Just curious." Her mom, Unique, was a member of the glee club in high school, starting in Vocal Adrenaline before joining the New Directions. However, Zoe hadn't received the invite from Sugar; she was a recent addition to the family, so not everyone knew about her. Marley, however, had brought it up to Unique, who tried to convince Zoe to join.

"You're Eden Tinsley, right?" Zoe asked.

Eden smiled widely. "Yes!" She didn't get recognized often; she wasn't actually famous herself, but fans of her mother, and occasionally her father, who was a retired football player, approached her sometimes, and she'd managed to build a decent social media following.

Zoe gasped. "I'm a huge fan of your mom! And I've been following you for a while too. You're really cool."

"Aw, thanks," Eden replied. Just then, her name was called. "I have to go. But I'll talk to you later, 'kay?"

Zoe was surprised that Eden would actually want to talk to her again, but nodded. "Okay. Good luck."

"Oh, I don't need luck."

As Zoe watched Eden walk into the auditorium, she couldn't help but be in awe of her confidence. Zoe was sure that Eden would captivate everyone in the room the second she walked in; an experience Zoe knew she would never have herself.

~*~

It wasn't long before Sue found out about the New Directions.

On the morning of the second day of school, Will stood in the front lobby, greeting all of the students as they came in. Then, Sue Sylvester's voice filled the hall through the loudspeaker. "William Schuester, come to my office now!"

Will wasn't sure that the assistant principal could be called down to the main office, but knew better than to go against Sue. Besides, he didn't think there was much Sue could do to him.

Sue was standing behind her desk with her arms crossed when Will stepped into her office. Years later, nothing about her had changed; she still wore her signature track suits and carried around a bullhorn despite not coaching the Cheerios anymore. "I found out about your little plan."

"What plan?" Will asked.

"You went behind my back," she said, stepping out from behind her desk. "And you brought back the glee club. I never approved this."

"Well, I did," Will pointed out. "I don't need your approval."

Sue knew she didn't have an argument. "It won't last, William. I will destroy the glee club."

Of course, Will wasn't going to let that happen. "Do you even have a plan?"

"Of course I do." She didn't, at least not a solid one.

"See you later, Sue." Will walked out of the office, not feeling at all intimidated by her.

~*~

Bri walked through the lobby of McKinley, the first time in a while she'd gotten a ride from Sawyer rather than Quinn or Shawn. Almost immediately after walking in, Vincent ran to greet her. "Hey! ...I was looking for you."

Bri glanced at him, but didn't reply.

"Are you okay?" Vincent asked.

"I'm fine," she replied, stopping at her locker, intentionally swinging the door open to block his face.

Vincent moved to the opposite side of her, leaning against the lockers. "Are you mad at me?"

Bri sighed. "No. I just wish you told me sooner."

"I'm really sorry, Bri. ...I didn't think it'd be a big deal"

"It's fine."

"Well... you're still my best friend, right?"

"Yeah. I am."

Vincent smiled. "Great... My mom made cookies last night, so I brought a bunch of them. Do you wanna have lunch outside with me and we could split them?"

"I can't." Bri knew she was overreacting, but couldn't help her anger. She couldn't stand to see Vincent with Eleanor, and was sure she'd be there.

~*~

Freddie couldn't help but worry when he noticed Brice wasn't in the cafeteria during lunch. Although it was nice to have some peace without his brother crowding him, it was unusual for Brice to go as long as he did without checking on Freddie at some point.

The best part about Brice already being popular was that it was easy to find him; Freddie only had to ask a couple people before he was led to the gym's weight room, where he found Brice doing bench presses. "What are you doing?" Freddie asked.

"Working out. Obviously," Brice replied. Then, he looked over at Freddie and finally set his weight down. "I'm practicing for tryouts. I have a week left, and a long way to go."

"You've always been good at football," Freddie pointed out. "You'll make the team, don't worry."

Brice shook his head as he gently rubbed his hands. "Hepburn's crazy good."

"Why does it matter? There's room for both of you."

"I know Mom and Dad always compare me to him. And you know Dad's crazy and wants us to be the best at everything. He doesn't even want me playing, but if I do, I have to be the greatest on the team... He's already disappointed I'm not the best in the glee club."

"Mom's always been proud of you. ...And I am too."

"True." Brice didn't actually feel any better, but wanted Freddie to be quiet. He'd always known that Rachel was only proud because she saw Brice as another version of her first love, Finn Hudson.

After a moment of silence, Freddie asked, "Do you wanna come back to the cafeteria with me?"

"No," Brice replied. "I'm not finished with my set."

"Do you want me to bring your lunch down for you then? Because you'll run out of time. ...I know you're not technically supposed to eat in here, but nobody's gonna know."

"I already ate," Brice lied.

"...Do you want me to leave you alone?"

Even though Brice did want to be alone, he felt bad sending Freddie away, and for being annoyed with him, especially knowing Freddie was just worried and wanted to help. "No, you can stay."

"It's okay," Freddie replied, walking towards the door. "I'll see you at rehearsal."

Brice wanted to run after him, but it seemed too late; Freddie was probably already mad at him, and not interested in hearing Brice's attempt at an apology.

~*~

Sam and Theo stood at the front of the choir room during the first rehearsal, watching as the students filed in. Already, Sam, who knew most of the kids well before the club's reforming, noticed some strange things about their seating arrangements; Bri and Vincent were sitting opposite sides of the room, and Brice was sitting next to Freddie, tightly clinging onto his arm. Sam glanced at Theo, wondering if he'd noticed anything unusual too, but he didn't seem to pick up on it.

"Welcome to the first rehearsal!" Sam announced to officially start the meeting.

"We don't have an official lesson this week," Theo said. "Mostly because we couldn't think of one."

"I know most of you grew up together, but I still want you to spend the first week getting to know each other. Anyone who wants to sing is welcome to, but you're not required."

"But we are going to start you off with a song." Theo nodded to Brad the piano player, who had returned to his old position, to signal to him to play their song - "Night Changes" by One Direction. It seemed to be the most appropriate considering the circumstances; beginning a new era of the New Directions.

Sam sang the first line, "Going out tonight, changes into something red. Her mother doesn't like that kind of dress. Everything she never had, she's showing off."

Then, Theo took over, "Driving too fast, moon is breaking through her hair, she's heading for something that she won't forget. Having no regrets is all that she really wants."

The two sang the chorus together, "We're only getting older, baby, and I've been thinking about it lately, does it ever drive you crazy, just how fast the night changes?"

Theo didn't share Sam's sentiments about the glee club's comeback. The club had given Sam so much, and the opportunity to pass that experience onto his kids was something so unexpected that he would always be grateful for.

"Everything that you've ever dreamed of, disappearing when you wake up. But there's nothing to be afraid of, even when the night changes. It will never change me and you."

Sam started off the next verse, "Chasing it tonight, doubts are running 'round her head, he's waiting, hides behind a cigarette, heart is beating loud and she doesn't want it to stop."

Theo finished it off, "Moving too fast, moon is lighting up her skin. She's falling, doesn't even know it yet. Having no regrets is all that she really wants."

As the two sang the chorus again, Theo finally started to look forward to the rest of the year with the New Directions. Even in his time with the band, he'd never seen a crowd as captivated by a performance as his students were.

"We're only getting older, baby, and I've been thinking about it lately, does it ever drive you crazy, just how fast the night changes? Everything that you've ever dreamed of, disappearing when you wake up. But there's nothing to be afraid of, even when the night changes. It will never change me and you."

Then, Sam sang the final verse, "Going out tonight, changes into something red. Her mother doesn't like that kind of dress, reminds her of the missing piece of innocence she lost."

Finally, they finished off together with one last chorus, "We're only getting older, baby, and I've been thinking about it lately, does it ever drive you crazy, just how fast the night changes? Everything that you've ever dreamed of, disappearing when you wake up. But there's nothing to be afraid of, even when the night changes. It will never change me and you."

~*~

Meanwhile, Zoe was standing outside the choir room, listening in on the rehearsal. She wished she could work up the courage to join, ever since Unique mentioned the idea to her, and even more after meeting Eden. Zoe wanted her confidence more than anything.

Eventually, Zoe heard the students starting to get up from their seats and ran down the hall, not wanting to be seen. As an extra step, Zoe opened the first door she saw and ran in, which happened to be the auditorium's stage door.

Even though she knew nobody was in the auditorium, she still froze as soon as she realized where she was, feeling her heart begin to race. "...Hello?" She looked around the room, wanting to make sure she really was alone.

Once she was sure nobody else was there, Zoe stepped towards the middle of the stage, picturing a full house seated in front of her. Even though she knew it was only her imagination, she couldn't help but be nervous. Still, she knew this was the closest she'd ever come to living out her dream.

She closed her eyes, still trying to keep her imaginary audience in her mind, and started to sing under her breath, "There I was again tonight, forcing laughter, faking smiles, same old tired lonely place."

She pictured Eden onstage instead of herself, immediately filling the room with her energy, the crowd locked into her performance. Zoe managed to sing a little louder, a step above mumbling.

"Walls of insincerity, shifting eyes and vacancy, vanished when I saw your face. All I can say is, it was enchanting to meet you."

Zoe smiled as she got lost in her fantasy. She remembered her initial meeting with Eden, how it started with a simple question, but managed to stick with her ever since. It seemed so insignificant, so natural considering Zoe had been a silent follower of Eden for years.

"Your eyes whispered, 'Have we met?' Across the room, your silhouette starts to make its way to me."

Zoe finally opened her eyes, still picturing the crowd in front of her, but her smile didn't fade. She took a couple steps towards the edge of the stage, trying to raise her voice slightly.

"The playful conversation starts, counter all your quick remarks, like passing notes in secrecy. And it was enchanting to meet you. All I can say is I was enchanted to meet you."

By the time the chorus hit, Zoe worked up enough confidence to belt as loudly as she could, not caring if anyone heard. Even though there was nobody around to listen, the thought of performing onstage had gone from terrifying to energizing.

"This night is sparkling, don't you let it go. I'm wonderstruck, blushing all the way home. I'll spend forever wondering if you knew, I was enchanted to meet you."

Zoe took a deep breath, the huge smile on her face staying put. She'd never sang out loud before; it seemed self-absorbed, but she was impressed by her skills.

"The lingering question kept me up, 2 A.M., who do you love? I wonder 'til I'm wide awake."

She walked across the edge of the stage, pretending to wave and wink at the imaginary crowd. If anyone passed by, they'd think she was crazy, but she didn't care; she was having more fun than she expected.

"And now I'm pacing back and forth, wishing you were at my door, I'd open up and you would say, 'Hey.' It was enchanting to meet you. All I know is I was enchanted to meet you."

She spun around as she made her way back towards the center of the stage. She pictured herself standing under a glowing spotlight, wearing a flowing ballgown that sparkled under the bright stage lighting.

"This night is sparkling, don't you let it go. I'm wonderstruck, blushing all the way home. I'll spend forever wondering if you knew."

She looked out at the empty seats in front of her, pretending to be recognizing a few familiar faces in the crowd; her mother, her best friend, Morgan, and most importantly, Eden. Their imaginary smiles were enough to boost Zoe's confidence even further.

"This night is flawless, don't you let it go. I'm wonderstruck, dancing around all alone. I'll spend forever wondering if you knew, I was enchanted to meet you."

She took a deep breath, trying to keep up with the song; as good as it felt, she knew she still wasn't a performer.

"This is me praying that, this was the very first page, not where the storyline ends. My thoughts will echo your name until I see you again."

All she could think about was Eden telling Zoe she'd talk to her later. A simple throwaway comment that Eden probably didn't remember making, probably, but Zoe couldn't help but hope it would be the beginning of a great friendship. She knew she wasn't worthy of someone like Eden, but still, she felt they made a good match.

"These are the words I held back as I was leaving too soon. I was enchanted to meet you."

To anyone else, it may seem obvious that Zoe's thoughts about Eden were more than just platonic, but she was in deep denial; the reason Zoe had been adopted by Unique, her former neighbor, was because her biological parents had kicked her out after she came out as a lesbian, in her first attempt to claim her identity. Ever since, she forced herself back into her shell, afraid to be her true self ever again.

"Please don't be in love with someone else, please don't have somebody waiting on you. Please don't be in love with someone else, please don't have somebody waiting on you."

Zoe did her best to immerse herself in her fantasy once more as she sang the final chorus, "This night is sparkling, don't you let it go. I'm wonderstruck, blushing all the way home. I'll spend forever wondering if you knew.

This night is flawless, don't you let it go. I'm wonderstruck, dancing around all alone. I'll spend forever wondering if you knew, I was enchanted to meet you."

As the song ended, her fantasy did as well. She was back in the empty auditorium, and she wasn't a popstar; she was just Zoe Adams, the girl nobody noticed.

"Please don't be in love with someone else. Please don't have somebody waiting on you."

~*~

"Sam, did you hear that?" Theo asked. They were still in the choir room, after all the students had left, discussing the first rehearsal and what their next steps should be.

Sam paused for a moment. "No."

"I hear someone singing." Theo stood up from the piano bench, walking towards the door. He could, in fact, hear Zoe's voice from the auditorium; not well enough to fully make it out, just enough to pick up a voice.

"It's probably one of the glee kids getting some extra rehearsal time in."

Theo shook his head. "It's not." He stepped out into the hall, with Sam following.

"They're in the showers," Sam whispered. "It's always the showers."

"What? No. Listen." Just as they both realized the general direction of the voice, the singing stopped.

"I don't hear anything."

Theo sighed. "Yeah. Because it stopped."

"Don't worry about it, it was just one of the students."

"I don't think so..."

~*~

When Freddie and Brice got home from school, Rachel and Jesse were both waiting by the door to greet them; something unusual enough for just one of them. "What's going on?" Brice asked. "Did someone die?"

Rachel laughed. "No. How was glee?"

"We didn't do much," Freddie replied, hanging his bag up. "It was just introduction stuff."

"Well, you are practicing, right?" Jesse asked.

"Yes," Brice replied quickly, already beginning to feel anxious again.

"Brice, how's football going?" Rachel asked.

As they waited for Brice's response, Freddie, annoyed that the attention wasn't on him, asked, "Dad, can you help me with a song for glee?"

"Of course," Jesse replied, stepping into another room with Freddie. Brice watched them go, secretly wishing Freddie wouldn't leave him alone with Rachel. Freddie, on the other hand, had no idea what song he was going to ask for help with, since he'd made it up for his dad's attention.

After realizing Rachel was still waiting for an answer, Brice said, "Tryouts aren't until next week. But I'm hoping to make varsity."

Rachel had always known Brice was good at football, but he wasn't that good; she had an idea of the specific requirements for varsity, which were hard to reach as a sophomore. Still, she knew it was her job to motivate him. "Good luck! You'll make it, I know you will. ...I was never into sports, but I know enough from Finn. You really do remind me of him... Anyway, I'll leave you alone now." Rachel gave a small smile before going into the kitchen.

Brice wasn't sure why, but he almost felt bad for Rachel. Any time she mentioned Finn, even years later, she still had an undeniable sadness in her eyes. However, he knew there wasn't much he could do, and stepped outside to practice.

~*~

At the dinner table, Tina had asked about the glee club; she secretly wished she could be a part of it as well, but didn't have time with her busy schedule.

"I'm super excited for it to really start," Sawyer said.

"Me too," Sam agreed. "We had a great turnout."

Tina turned to Bri, finally prompting her to speak up. "I'm not really sold on it yet, but... we'll see, I guess," she admitted.

"We should do an assembly to raise interest," Sawyer suggested.

"I don't know about that," Bri admitted. "We already have more than enough people." And, she didn't like the idea of performing in front of the whole school.

"Actually, I like that idea," Sam said. "Maybe we don't need the members, but we can get the club used to performing in front of crowds. Sectionals will be here before you know it, it's easier to start with people you know. I'll ask Theo about it tomorrow."

Tina, noticing something seemed off about Bri, glanced at Sam, who seemed to be thinking the same thing. "Bri, what's wrong?"

Bri knew lying wasn't an option; her parents knew her too well. "I just feel like me and Vincent are drifting apart." It wasn't the entire truth, but she hoped it would be enough for them.

"It happens sometimes," Tina admitted. "Artie was my best friend, but we drifted apart eventually. Then I started hanging out with your dad and Blaine. And I did reconnect with Artie eventually."

"You and Vincent have been best friends since you were babies," Sam pointed out. "You'll be okay, don't worry. But you'll make plenty of new friends in glee."

Bri nodded. "I know. I think I might have one already."

"Well," Sawyer chimed in, "you're not getting my friends."

"Good. I don't want them."

~*~

Sue sat at her desk, with Becky Jackson in the seat opposite from her. "Becky, we have a problem."

"What is it, Coach?" Becky asked.

"I got an interesting assembly request on my desk this morning. From William Schuester, run by the New Directions."

"You didn't approve it, right, Coach?"

"Actually, Becky, I did," Sue replied, leaning back in her chair. "But don't worry, I have a plan."

"What is it?"

"Nobody's going to care about their club. They'll be laughed off the stage, and they'll be so humiliated that they'll be forced to disband."

"That's a good idea, Coach."

"I know it is," Sue said proudly. "But you know what?"

"Why?"

"I'd never be able to pull these ideas off without you, my Beckretary."

"Thanks, Coach."

~*~

Sam and Theo stood on the stage, ready to begin the assembly. The students didn't seem interested, which wasn't a surprise. Sam, Theo, and the New Directions didn't mind; the assembly was more for themselves anyway.

"McKinley High," Sam announced, "I am proud to present the New Directions."

The New Directions stepped onstage. It was immediately clear to everyone watching that Sawyer, Freddie, and Eden were the only members who were actually on board with the assembly; the other members seemed to be nervous or disinterested.

Then, the jazz band began to play their song, which was started off by Sawyer, "Last callers, last chancers, nine-to-fivers, truckers, dancers, couple Chucks, Erns, and Chandlers, with a whole lotta prayers unanswered."

He turned to Rosie, who was standing beside him, as she took over, "Whiskey by noon and beer before that, southbound train on a hellbound track. Might just put two middle fingers up and throw one back, for all the people who ain't never felt at home, just spinning on a rock and getting stoned."

They gazed at each other as they started the chorus in harmony, "Let's hear it for the losers."

Then, Sawyer sang, "The outcasts and the sinners, the ain't-never-been-no-winners."

Rosie joined in again, "Let's hear it for the losers."

Then Rosie took the next solo, "Ain't got nowhere to fit in, there's a place you can always get in."

Vincent sang the next line, with his arm around Bri's shoulders. "You might be lonely, but you're never alone, you're right here where you're supposed to be."

Ren came over, laughing as he also put an arm around Bri, sandwiching her between himself and Vincent, causing her to laugh as well, while Ren and Vincent sang the next line, "Right here with all the losers."

Then, Ren sang the next line, "The ones like you and the ones like me."

Shawn sang next; he'd been hiding towards the back of the stage, but his younger brother, Vincent, had pulled him up to the front and center in time for his solo. "My therapist is a good bartender, heartbreakers and two month benders, bad times that we can't forget, and good times that we won't remember."

Brice sang the next part. Although he didn't like the idea of the assembly, he still gave it his best effort. "Raise 'em up when we hear a sad song, love the cry of the steel guitar. No way to change the way we are."

They started off the chorus together, "This one's for the losers."

Then, Shawn, "The outcasts and the sinners, the ain't-never-been-no-winners."

Brice joined back in, "Let's hear it for the losers."

Finally, Brice's solo line, "Ain't got nowhere to fit in, there's a place you can always get in."

Audrey skipped towards the front of the stage, leaning against Brice with her elbow propped up on his shoulder. "You might be lonely, but you're never alone, you're right here where you're supposed to be."

Bri, who had since broken free from Vincent and Ren, squeezed in between Audrey and Brice to join in for the next line, "Right here with all the losers."

Then, Bri sang, "The one's like you," she booped Brice's nose, "and the ones like me."

Eleanor sang the next line from the far end of the stage, trying to hide as much as she could without hearing about it from her father later, "If you're living like you've got nothing to lose."

Eden picked up where she left off, joining her on the end of the stage and taking her hand. "There's a spot for you beside me on this stool."

As they sang the next line, Eden gently pulled Eleanor towards the center of the stage with the rest of the club. "Come kick it with the losers."

Hepburn, noticing Eleanor's discomfort, met her in the middle of the stage and pulled her into a tight hug as he sang the next line in her ear, "The outcasts and the sinners, the ain't-never-been-no-winners."

As Freddie joined in for the next line, he also joined their hug. "Let's here it for the losers."

Freddie pulled away from the hug before his solo line, deciding he had enough of it. "Ain't got nowhere to fit in, there's a place you can always get in."

Aiden Zizes sang the next line, dancing by himself towards the side of the stage. "You might be lonely, but you're never alone, you're right here where you're supposed to be."

Cherry Lopez-Pierce, laughing to herself at his dance, joined in for the next line, "Right here with all the losers."

After some light encouragement with Aiden, Cherry finally joined in his dancing as she closed out the song, "The ones like you, and the ones like me."

As the song ended, the other students applauded them, although none of them seemed particularly enthusiastic. As the New Directions stepped off the stage, Theo came back out. "Okay, before everyone goes back to class, I have one more thing to say," he announced. He knew nobody was actually paying attention, but still, he knew he had to take the one chance he had to address the entire school.

"After our rehearsal yesterday, I heard someone singing in the hall. And Mr. Evans thinks it was one of the club members, but I don't think so. I've never heard that voice before. But she was amazing. So, if that was you, this is my open invitation for you to join the club. We'd love to have you."

Theo gave a quick signal to the jazz band before he started to sing, "Every time I think I'm closer to the heart, of what it means to know just who I am, I think I've finally found a better place to start, but no one ever seems to understand."

The few students who were paying attention, the glee club included, were extremely confused by what was happening. Zoe, however, who knew he had heard her, tried to sink in her chair as low as possible, not wanting to be seen.

"I need to try to get to where you are. Could it be you're not that far?

You're the voice I hear inside my head, the reason that I'm singing. I need to find you, I gotta find you. You're the missing piece I need, the song inside of me. I need to find you, I gotta find you."

Of course, Zoe appreciated Theo's efforts, and did get a small confidence boost from knowing he actually enjoyed her singing. Still, she would never come forward; she didn't want to be the mysterious singing girl, and even though she knew she was taking a risk, hated the thought of anyone overhearing her.

"You're the remedy I'm searching hard to find, to fix the puzzle that I see inside. Painting all my dreams the color of your smile, when I find you, it'll be alright."

Even Eleanor was humiliated by Theo's song; she couldn't imagine how Zoe felt. She was standing as far from everyone else as possible, her face buried in her hands. Briefly, she moved her fingers apart to catch a glimpse of her father, who was also standing backstage, surprised to see he was smiling and nodding his head to the music.

"I need to try to get to where you are. Could it be you're not that far?

You're the voice I hear inside my head, the reason that I'm singing. I need to find you, I gotta find you. You're the missing piece I need, the song inside of me. I need to find you, I gotta find you."

Sue Sylvester heavily debated standing up in the middle of the performance and declaring how inappropriate it was for Theo to be singing those words about a student, but decided to remain silent and use the song against him later in an argument to disband the club once and for all and to ban everyone bearing the Schuester name - possibly with the exception of Eleanor, Sue hadn't decided yet - from McKinley.

"Been feeling lost, can't find the words to say, spending all my time stuck in yesterday. Where you are is where I wanna be, oh, next to you, and you next to me.

You're the voice I hear inside my head, the reason that I'm singing. I need to find you, I gotta find you. You're the missing piece I need, the song inside of me. I need to find you, I gotta find you. I gotta find you."

~*~

Zoe and Morgan were unlikely friends; they'd always known that. Zoe blended in the background, unnoticed by everyone, and Morgan was a popular cheerleader. But Unique and Marley had tried to push a friendship on them, and had been successful. They sat in the cafeteria together, with Zoe making awkward small talk.

"So, how's glee club?" Although it seemed like a simple conversation starter, Zoe really was interested; she still didn't expect to ever join, but couldn't deny it had been on her mind.

"It's been fun," Morgan replied. "I'm happy my mom talked me into it. Why, are you interested? ...You are the only alumni kid not involved. Well, aside from Reagan Zizes. But she doesn't really count."

"No-" Zoe said, quickly cutting herself off. When Morgan raised an eyebrow, Zoe hesitantly asked, "Can you keep a secret?"

Morgan was immediately intrigued, expecting drama, although it didn't seem likely from Zoe. She was a bit nervous, however, afraid that something was wrong. "Of course I can."

"I was the girl in the hall," Zoe admitted. "The one Theo was looking for."

Morgan gasped. "You have to join now."

"No, I can't..."

"Okay. I won't force you. But can I at least try to boost your confidence?"

At first, Zoe wasn't interested. Although part of her did wish she could join glee, she didn't think anything Morgan said could change her mind.

Then she thought about Eden.

"...Fine. You can try."

~*~

After school, Brice met with Justin on the football field, looking for extra practice. Justin seemed like the perfect candidate; he was the son of the junior varsity coach, Spencer Porter, who was also a retired NFL player, and his other dad, Dave Karofsky, was a sports agent who helped scout potential players. Plus, Justin had grown up playing.

"So, you know the positions?" Justin asked.

"Of course I do," Brice snapped.

"Okay... Well, what do you need help with?"

"I just need someone to practice with."

Justin just nodded, tossing the ball to Brice. He'd noticed that Brice was already starting to get an attitude with him, and didn't want to make it worse. Finally, Justin asked, "Why aren't you practicing with Hepburn? Isn't he your best friend? ...And everyone knows he'll be the best on the team."

"You can't say he's the best," Brice snapped. "The season hasn't even started."

"Right," Justin sighed. "Sorry."

Brice knew he shouldn't take his anger out on Justin; he genuinely seemed interested in helping. "No, I'm sorry... Hepburn isn't really interested in practicing. He's a natural talent, or whatever." Brice had always been annoyed by that; Hepburn never seemed to put any effort into anything, but still succeeded every time.

"Well, I can already tell you're gonna be good," Justin assured him. "You have great aim, fast throws, and you haven't missed a single catch... With a little practice, you're guaranteed to make varsity."

Brice smiled to himself, although he didn't believe it. "Thanks."

~*~

Quinn sat around the table with her two sons, Shawn and Vincent. Puck was deployed with the Air Force, so she was practically raising the boys alone. She managed well, but still struggled to connect with them. "So, how's school?" Quinn asked.

"I gotta be honest," Shawn replied, "glee isn't totally lame. And there's so many hot girls there."

Quinn, even though she knew he was joking, rolled her eyes. "Shawn, please..."

"What did I do?"

She shook her head and turned to Vincent. "And how are you?"

Vincent shrugged. "I think Bri is mad at me."

"Why?" Quinn frowned. She always loved their friendship, and approved of Bri; she wouldn't have been opposed if she and Vincent had started dating.

"I just told her about Ellie, and she's been avoiding me ever since. ...I wanted to tell her sooner, but I didn't wanna just, like, send her a text, you know? I was waiting to tell her in person, but I didn't think it'd be a big deal."

"Don't worry," Quinn assured him, gently resting her hand on Vincent's. "She might be a little annoyed, but I doubt she's angry. It'll pass, but you should try reaching out."

"I can help," Shawn offered.

"No," Vincent said immediately, knowing Shawn couldn't take anything seriously.

Shawn smirked. "Really? What'd I do this time?"

~*~

Bri was in her bedroom, doing homework, when she heard a knock on her bedroom door. "Who is it?"

"Me," Sawyer said. "Can I come in?"

She was a bit surprised it wasn't one of her parents, especially since Sawyer had knocked instead of just barging in. "Um... yeah."

Sawyer stepped into the room, sitting at the foot of the bed and petting Ken, Bri's dog. "Did you need something?" Bri asked.

"Are you okay?" Sawyer asked.

Bri sighed, setting her pencil down. "I already told Mom and Dad-"

"I know there's more," Sawyer interrupted. "I'm not gonna tell them anything you don't want them to hear. This is between us. But I'm worried about you, Bri. You're less annoying than usual."

"...Fine. I just feel like Vincent kind of went behind my back, secretly dating Eleanor for weeks. Why wouldn't he tell me?" Bri's question was rhetorical, although she was genuinely wondering.

"I don't think it was his intention," Sawyer replied. "Speaking from recent experience, kids your age don't understand relationships. They're either like me, and I guess Vince, and they don't understand how important their first relationship is, or they think they found the love of their life. There's no in between."

Bri nodded. "Thanks."

"No problem. And let me know if you need anything else, okay?"

"I will."

~*~

The next morning, Sue called Sam and Theo in for a meeting. "I'm sure Mr. Schue already told you that I'm onto your little scam," she said.

"What scam?" Sam asked.

"Going behind my back to revive the New Directions. Well, it won't last."

"Okay, Sue," Theo replied. "You've been saying that longer than I've been alive, and guess what? You never win."

Sue glared at him. "You know, I never thought anyone could be worse than William Schuester, until he decided to combine his DNA with Erma's."  She stood up from her desk, walking around to the opposite side and draping her arms across their shoulders. "You could disband your glee club now and avoid a world of hurt."

"I'm not gonna do that," Sam replied.

Sue smiled. "Well then, you've just made an enemy for life."

"Is that news?"

Sue leaned in close and began to sing in Sam's ear, "You say, the price of my love's not a price that you're willing to pay."

Then, she turned to Theo. "You cry, in your tea which you hurl in the sea when you see me go by."

She stepped back behind her desk, crossing her arms as she looked down at them. "Why so sad? Remember, we made an arrangement when you went away." She tapped the 'Principal Sylvester' nametag on her desk. "Now you're making me mad. Remember, despite our estrangement, I'm your man."

Sue stepped out of her office and was met by Becky in the doorway, who placed a shiny golden crown on her hand. Then, she turned back to Theo and Sam, giving them a wink as she backed into the hallway.

"You'll be back, soon you'll see, you'll remember you belong to me. You'll be back, time will tell, you'll remember that I served you well." She bowed to them before turning around, singing in the faces of the students passing by. "Oceans rise, empires fall, we have seen each other through it all. And when push comes to shove, I will send a fully armed battalion to remind you of my love."

At the snap of Sue's fingers, a group of Cheerios began to follow behind her, singing backup for her: "Da-da-da, dat-da, dat, da-da-da, da-ya-da. Da-da, dat, dat, da-ya-da."

As Will was passing by, Sue got in his face as well to sing to him. "You say our love is draining and you can't go on, you'll be the one complaining when I am gone. And no, don't change the subject!" She shoved Will into a locker, then continued walking down the hall.

"'Cause you're my favorite subject." She turned to smile at the Cheerios - her kids, even though she was no longer the coach. "My sweet, submissive subject. My loyal, royal subject. Forever, and ever, and ever, and ever, and ever..."

She marched back to the doorway of her office, where Sam and Theo were still watching in confusion. "You'll be back like before. I will fight the fight and win the war, for your love, for your praise, and I'll love you 'til my dying day."

She ran back towards the Cheerios, shoving any students in her way aside. With the Cheerios dancing behind her and continuing to sing backup, Sue began walking down the halls of McKinley, occasionally pushing students she passed.

"When you're gone, I'll go mad, so don't throw away this thing we had. 'Cause when push comes to shove," she turned back to Sam and Theo, "I will kill your friends and family to remind you of my love. Everybody!"

As Sue calmly sang along with the Cheerios, she walked back to her office, shoving Sam and Theo aside as she closed the door, beginning to come up with her official plan to take the New Directions down once and for all.

"Da-da-da, dat-da, dat, da-da-da, da-ya-da. Da-da, dat, dat, da-ya-da..."

Playlist
• x ANA x by Badflower / Oh Ana by Mother Mother - Brice
• Skin by Sabrina Carpenter - Bri
• Pink Pony Club by Chappell Roan - Audrey
• Night Changes by One Direction - Sam & Theo
• Enchanted by Taylor Swift - Zoe
• Losers by Post Malone ft. Jelly Roll - New Directions
• Gotta Find You from Camp Rock - Theo
• You'll Be Back from Hamilton - Sue