6 -

"Better to live one year as a tiger, than a hundred as a sheep." - Madonna

oOo

"You're late!" Rachel hissed when Finn slid into the vacant seat beside her. It was the middle of Spanish, and Mr. Schuester had nodded when Finn handed him a late slip.

"I know," Finn said distractedly as he pulled out his homework.

"Why?" she demanded.

"I took Kurt back to Dalton this morning."

She wrinkled her nose. "He should have gone back last night. That was really inconsiderate of him," she tittered.

Finn shot her a dark look. His defensive hackles rising instantly. "I asked him to stay, Rachel," he pointed out sharply.

Rachel opened her mouth to speak, but then she closed it. Finn turned away from her as Mr. Schuester gave them directions on what to do.

"We have to practice tonight, Sectionals is coming up, and you better not have told Kurt what our set list was."

Finn's hands balled into fists, but he didn't say anything at all. It would do no good to get into it with Rachel because he knew it was a lost battle, and he might say something he would regret later.

When Finn got to the choir room that afternoon, Tina and Mercedes were the first one to ask him how Kurt was.

"He's good. He misses you guys a lot," Finn assured with a smile.

Tina smiled sadly. "We miss him so much. I wish we had done something more so that he could stay." She sniffed, and Mike frowned as he dropped an arm around her shoulder.

"I'd have protected him, Tina," Mike assured.

Tina smiled endearingly. "I know. You really tried. I think we caught it too late. It's just he's been my best friend since the sixth grade, and it's so weird not seeing him every day."

Mercedes sighed heavily. "It's not fair. Kurt's the sweetest Diva I know. He's given up so much for everyone, and he always gets the bad end of everything."

Sam overhearing the conversation stepped up to Finn's right. "Perhaps we can go see him after this? All of us."

Finn's eyes lit up. "He would love that. The Warblers made him stay Friday night for a practice on Saturday morning, and he was so sad so I went up there, and brought him back. That's why I was late today. I offered to take him to Dalton. Mom was actually thrilled about it."

"That's so sweet," Tina cooed.

They all sat together, Mr. Schuester was arguing with Rachel who seemed put out about not being able to sing a solo at Sectionals.

Instead it was given to Quinn and Sam, and then Santana with high vocals from Mercedes. Finn thought it was the perfect setup even though Rachel was throwing a huge fit because she hadn't been included.

When everyone was occupied with the impending Sectionals, Finn turned to Tina. "It was out of our hands a long time ago," he told her quietly.

Tina looked up at him. "What do you mean?"

Mike, Sam, and Mercedes leaned around to hear what Finn had to say.

A look of pain, and a flash of anger flashed across Finn's face. "Karofsky did more than pick on, Kurt."

"What did he do?" Mercedes asked wide-eyed.

Finn bowed his head. "I can't tell you. I promised Kurt I wouldn't." He would not betray Kurt like that. No way, he wouldn't betray Kurt's trust that way.

"We have to go see him today," she insisted.

"I'm with you. Finn can I get a ride?" Sam asked.

"Fine with me. He would really love to see you all."

"What are you guys doing? We should be focusing on Sectionals!" Rachel interjected.

"None of your business," Mercedes snapped.

"It is my business because my boyfriend is involved, Finn?" she glared at him, and waited for backup.

"This doesn't have anything to do with you, Rachel. We're all going to see Kurt."

"You can't! He's part of the other team!" she practically screeched.

"No, he isn't. He's our friend," Tina struck up the courage to say. "He'll always be our friend."

Rachel bristled. "Well, I should come with you."

"Oh no," Mercedes shook her head. "You are not going to come with us simply to piss Kurt off by calling him the enemy. What the hell is wrong with you girl? You huff a little too much paint or something?"

The short little Diva looked affronted, and for once she was speechless. She scowled once more before turning on her heel, and striding over to Mr. Schuester to kiss some more ass.

Finn shook his head. "If we leave right after glee is over we should get there about six."

"I need to check it with my parents, but I'm in," Mike said as everyone pulled out their cell phones.

Finn was excited. He would get to see Kurt again.

"We should do something special for Kurt," Mercedes suggested. "Let everyone at Dalton know that Kurt is our baby."

Finn grinned so widely he thought his face was going to crack.

"That's such a good idea!" Tina squealed.

Sam nodded. "Should I bring my guitar?"

Finn copied Sam. "Yes, I think I have the perfect song."

"Well then white boy, let's hear it!" Mercedes exclaimed with a smirk.

oOo

Even though Kurt was back at Dalton, his heart and mind was back in Lima. Not only was he confused, but he was feeling unusually giddy. He smiled at the weirdest times, and if Blaine noticed an extra skip in his step, the short lead singer didn't comment.

Nick and Jeff sat with them at lunch, and the day progressed ever slower until it was over, and the Warblers started going over preparations for Sectionals.

They weren't practicing today, instead they were going over last minute details on how they were getting to Sectionals.

Kurt was sitting by the window, and he was half-listening to the chatter around them.

Jeff who had gone outside to get something came back in with a half-smile. "Kurt!"

"What is it Jeff?" Kurt asked placing his History assignment aside.

"There's a group outside looking for you."

"Who?" Kurt asked confused.

"Don't know. They insist on seeing you though. The black girl was rather – forceful," Jeff said with a wince.

Kurt's eyes lit up, and his heart filled with love. "Mercedes!" He ran from the room, and not far behind was the Warblers who were infinitely curious.

He ran out into the courtyard, and his eyes widened when he saw Sam, Mercedes, Tina, and Mike sitting choreographically on the picnic tables. Sam and Mike were sitting on top a few feet apart, and Mercedes and Tina were sitting at their feet.

They were dressed in matching blue jeans, and dark blue long sleeved casual shirts.

"What are you guys doing here?" Kurt asked as they all smiled.

They all grinned, and Sam didn't speak, instead he started playing the chords of a familiar song from a few years back, and he began to sing.

"I don't want another pretty face, I don't want just anyone to hold. I don't want my love to go to waste, I want you and your beautiful soul…"

After a couple more chords played, Kurt gasped when another smooth and familiar voice out of nowhere picked up, and Finn casually walked out from behind one of the oak trees in the courtyard. His charm had was turned on to maximum, and everyone could feel it.

"I know that you are something special, to you I'd be always faithful, I want to be what you always needed, then I hope you'll see the heart in me."

Finn grinned boyishly as he walked over to Kurt, and continued to sing all the while staring right at him. The rest of them followed suit, and they all sang the chorus in perfect harmony, changing the words ever so slightly to fit their needs.

"We don't want another pretty face, We don't want just anyone to hold. We don't want our love to go to waste, We want you and your beautiful soul! You're the one we wanna chase, you're the one we wanna hold. We won't let another minute go to waste, we want you and your beautiful soul!"

Kurt was rooted to the ground as his friends sang and moved around him, Mike and Tina providing a few good moves, and Mercedes belting out the strongest notes with Sam and Finn moving in between.

Finn stepped up the lyrics with Sam beside Kurt plucking at his guitar.

"You might need time to think it over, but I'm just fine moving forward. I'll ease your mind, if you give me the chance I will never make you cry, c'mon let's try." Kurt nearly fainted when Finn reached out and wiped the tears from Kurt's eyes away.

It was such a classic, and sweet move.

He chuckled weakly when they all sang one final strand of chorus with Sam ending with a vibrating hum of strings.

"Oh Gaga!" Kurt trembled as Mercedes and Tina clobbered him with hugs. "I've missed you guys," he sniffled.

"We've missed you, Kurt. So much!" Tina squealed pulling back as Sam and Mike both hugged him.

"New Directions isn't the same without you," Sam insisted kissing him on the forehead.

Kurt's cheeks flushed when Mike winked and brushed a hand across his jaw. "Definitely not. We wish you were back."

Finn nodded, and shakily he tugged Kurt close into a very warm bear hug. "They're right. We miss you so much."

"This is not nice! You're making me cry!" Kurt whined with a little giggle. He buried his face into Finn's shirt as he was held tightly.

Finally when he got a hold of his emotions, he pulled back, and smiled brightly. "Thank you."

He realized then that the Warblers were gathered behind him, and he snickered as he turned. "Hey guys, this is some of the New Directions," he introduced. "Mike Chang is the dancer, Tina and Mercedes are the awesome Diva's, and Sam and Finn are the boy next doors."

"Oi!" Sam and Finn protested simultaneously.

"Guys, this is New Directions. Blaine you've already met Mercedes."

"Nice to meet you all," Blaine said nodding with a smile. There was something in his eyes that Kurt couldn't quite make out. It looked like envy, but Kurt was sure that wasn't the case.

The other Warblers looked a little worried. If this was only part of New Directions then they were going to have some serious competition.

As everyone introduced themselves, Finn gazed down at Kurt. "I hope you didn't mind us crashing your school."

"Never! It was amazing."

"Good."

Kurt's friends remained for dinner in the cafeteria. Some of the Warblers joined them in hopes of learning more about Kurt's former glee club, and were shocked to find out that everyone in the school despised them.

"The Warblers are like rock stars," Blaine told them. "Whenever there's a performance, everyone including teachers stop what they're doing to listen or dance."

"Not at McKinley. We're a joke," Tina said sadly.

"I've never been to a public school," Wes admitted. "So I don't really know how they work."

Kurt's friends and the Warblers seemed to get on well. David kept charming Mercedes, and Nick and Jeff were in a heated conversation with Sam over Avatar, which they both apparently loved.

"Man this school is so beautiful," Tina commented looking around. "It doesn't even look like a cafeteria."

Mike agreed. "I had to beg my parents not to send me to private school. My mom understood, but my father had to be talked into it."

"There's a lot of advantages and disadvantages," One of the Warblers named Thad said with a smile. "The work is a lot harder, but on the other hand everyone in the school has respect for each other. There is no tolerance for bullying or fighting whatsoever."

"Wish that was how McKinley was," Tina said sullenly. "We all have to bring extra clothes to school because of the slushy facials."

Thad shudder. "Sounds horrible."

"Imagine being bitch slapped by an iceberg," Kurt chimed in.

"I don't want to."

"New Directions is our refuge."

Kurt sighed longingly at Tina and Thad's conversation. There was a gentle nudge from Finn, and he smiled at the tall teen. "What?"

"You look sad," he observed.

"I'm happy, thank you. I'm so glad you guys are here."

Finn grinned. "So am I. You mean a lot to us, Kurt, especially me."

Kurt rolled his eyes. "I know that, Finn." At this rate, Kurt knew that his cheeks would forever be stained.

"Why don't you show me around?" he suggested to Kurt. "Everyone else looks pretty busy."

Kurt bit his lip, and nodded. "Alright. We can slip out. Don't think anyone will notice."

Well, anyone but Blaine who kept glancing over at them every few minutes, but Mike had drawn him into a conversation about dancing.

Finn was in awe of the place, Tina had been right, it was beautiful, and he told Kurt as much.

"Yes, I was astounded when I came here for the first time. It is beautiful, but it's like a gilded cage."

Finn shoved his hands into his pockets as he thought about Kurt's words.

"That shirt looks perfect on you," Kurt commented as he plucked the edges idly.

Finn chuckled and looked down. "Yeah, well you do have good taste."

"I'm glad you finally take notice."

"I always noticed."

They walked in complete silence through the long winding corridors. Every now and then Kurt and Finn would look at each other as if trying to form words, but then they'd look away again. Sometimes it was hard to form words, and it was perhaps one of the very few times that Kurt couldn't use his tongue to his advantage.

"Ready for Sectionals?" Kurt finally asked dully.

"Yeah, I think so. You guys?"

Kurt shrugged. "Suppose so. I'm not really feeling it though. It's not like New Directions."

"I hear you. New Directions isn't the same without you. If Mr. Schuester and the others weren't counting on me, I'd quit."

Kurt's eyes widened. "Don't you love glee?"

"I do, but it's gotten so dull. I mean, all we ever do is what Rachel and Mr. Schuester want. You and Santana were the only ones to ever really speak out. They listen to you guys, not us."

"That's because we're bitches. We always get our way."

Finn shook his head. "How can you be – that – when you're so sweet?"

Kurt's heart swelled. "You know me, Finn. I have to keep a defense up."

"I know, but you don't have to around me."

"I don't."

"I know that's why it's hard to hear you say that. I can't see it."

"That's because you are one of the lucky few who see the real me."

"I am lucky, aren't I?" Finn then stuck out his arm silently inviting Kurt who instantly took it up with the sweetest smile on his face.