— i feel like this is a given but since blake jenner attempted to blame melissa for everything that happened on instagram recently— fuck blake jenner and everything he did. I stand with melissa
The glee club wasn't taking the news of their 19 year old Schuester replacements well. Even Artie and Sam, who adored Finn and Winona, didn't think they would be able to do it properly. Like the kids, Sue thought it was a bad idea as well. She called Mr. Schue, Winona, and Finn to Figgins' office, clearly angry.
"I've already cleared this with Figgins, so, I don't see what the problem is," Mr. Schue claimed.
Sue shook her head, briskly rushing to reply, "Will, of course you don't. Because this is just another one of your ill-conceived, bizarrely sentimental schemes that displays absolutely no forethought and appears immediately ridiculous to everyone in America except you," She seethed, "Finn Hudson and Winona Whatever-her-last-name-is barely graduated high school less than six months ago—"
"Actually, I had a 3.95 gpa," Interjected Winona timidly, Sue looking over at her with a deadly glare to silence her.
"—they have no bachelor's degree, nor the certification to teach in the state of Ohio."
"Sue, Glee Club is not a class. It an extracurricular activity. Which is why it is perfectly legal for Finn and Winona to volunteer their talents temporarily," Figgins argued.
"Need I remind you, that Winona has done nothing but terrorize the trashcans of this school for the past four years?" Sue changed the subject, staring at the principal as if this was the most urgent situation in the world, "She kicks them over in anger. That is property damage, and I want her charged accordingly! Someone like that should NOT be allowed to teach here."
"You can't prove that," Finn defended, crossing his arms. Sue, out of nowhere, pulled out a camcorder that contained nothing but footage of Winona abusing trashcans throughout the past four years. With all eyes on the young adult, Winona flipped up the collar of her flannel in true Sue Sylvester fashion and shook her head, speaking in a monotone voice.
"I have no memory of that."
Finn narrowed his eyes, deciding to toss his nervous demeanour out the window, "Uh, Sue? Need I remind you of all the times you've thrown a tantrum because something isn't going your way? All the students you've manhandled? The trauma you've put the secretary over there through? Winona kicking a couple of trash cans over pales in comparison."
"What he said," Added Winona.
"I promise, this is the right thing to do. We can take this glee club to sectionals, and I know we can win. We'll work just as hard as Mr. Shue does, and do it all for free," Finn went on, smiling innocently as Sue's anger boiled in her stomach.
"Okay, let me just remind everyone of something," She started, voice lowering to sound more threatening, "For the past year, I have shown the glee club mercy, and this school has enjoyed an unprecedented era of peace, but ifloaty the Gravy Clown and Ghostface are allowed to take over Glee Club, my denté with the art in this school will be over!"
Winona and Finn exchanged a nervous look as Sue stormed out of the room and started throwing things— papers, the glasses of students, food.
The last thing Figgins' said before they were excused was, "Sue, you're a menace to the state of Ohio!"
( — ✿ — )
After Finn explained to Winona that Coach Sylvester booked use of the auditorium for rehearsing for the next few weeks, they decided they would have to find an alternative place. Winona's first idea was the tire shop.
"It's the perfect place to rehearse one of the most iconic songs in the whole musical," She insisted, making the motion of driving a car with her hands, "Greased Lighting!"
"Ohhh. . . you're a genius!"
And so Mike, Artie, and the male lead portion of the cast were invited by the 20 year old directors to rehearse, but they didn't seem as happy about it as Finn and Winona did. The pair seemed really proud of themselves.
"You sure you wrote down the right address?" Asked Jake, as he, and the rest of the boys walked into the workshop of cars.
"Yeah, Finn works here," Artie acknowledged, smiling as Finn and Winona popped up to greet them.
"And we're supposed to rehearse here?"
"Guys, it's perfect. Kill two birds with one stone," Winona started.
Finn nodded, finishing for her, "I got to overhaul this jalopy, and you guys need to figure out how to be convincing grease monkeys."
"I've never even changed the oil in my car," Whined Ryder, "I can't fix this."
"I cannot believe you got this part over me," Muttered Jake, scoffing as Finn gave them a speech in true Mr. Schuester fashion. Winona zoned back in just in time to hear Ryder complaining about the lack of stage to rehearse on— prompting her to step in to set the scene.
"Look out there. Imagine an audience anxiously awaiting your arrival," She said, voice laced with wonder as she pointed around, "And look up there. Spotlights."
Finn found himself admiring Winona, and her beautiful mind, and her stunning vocabulary. Quickly, he snapped out of it once Mike knowingly nudged him in the shoulder.
"And look right here," Finn added after Winona's ramble, pointing at the car, "What do you see?"
"An old clunker," Ryder deadpanned.
"Yeah, its an old clunker. Now tell me what Danny Zuko sees."
Winona, Mike, Artie, and Finn watched proudly as the others performed Greased Lightning. But. . . Finn found himself not paying attention to their professional-grade performance. Instead, his gaze was not-so-subtly fixed on Winona, who was quietly singing along with them and swaying back as fourth with the music.
Why did he ever let her slip away?
( — ✿ — )
Of course, Sue found a way to make everything just a little more difficult for Finn and Winona. This must be what Mr. Schue suffered with all the time— Exactly why Winona was not meant to be a teacher.
She got Unique pulled from the musical.
"Ugh!" Winona groaned as she left the office with Finn, "What are we gonna do?"
"Well . . . why don't you play Rizzo?" He suggested, walking down the hall with her and to the choir room. She looked up at him quizzically, knitting her brows together.
"What? No I couldn't —"
"Why not? You've got the sass, the badass energy, and you can pull off the wig."
"Hardly," Winona shook her head, "I can't be off script by opening night, and if I have to go back to New York at any time, you'll be without a Rizzo."
Her frantic disagreement was met with an understanding nod from Finn. Their conversation trailed off from there, until a lightbulb lit up above his head.
"Wait . . We know someone just as sassy as Rizzo, who's just happens to be in town right now."
Winona perked up a little, exchanging a look with him as they spoke at the same time, "Santana."
"Perfect! She's perfect!" She exclaimed, Finn pulling out his phone to dial the girl's number. As he excused himself to make the call, Unique and Marley walking in after. They came to rehearse, but seeing as Winona was there, they decided to press her on the early years of glee club.
The two were gathered around Winona as she propped herself up on the piano, interesting in learning everything they could about the New Directions.
"Tell us everything!" Marley beamed excitedly.
"Well, where to start?" Winona thought back to 2009, trying to conjure up all the most interesting stories possible, "Okay, an old lady joined our club, a short jewish girl known as Rachel Berry was in love with Finn, we all took performance enhancing drugs during a boys vs. girls competition, did a mattress commercial, our enemy joined the team— and quickly betrayed us, and Quinn; a former student gave birth to a child directly after regionals."
"Oh my goodness!" Marley gaped, "that all happened in just one year?"
As the blonde nodded, Unique cut in, "Hold on; Quinn Fabray had a child? Who was the father?"
"Long story," Winona mused, before rushing to explain, "So, Finn and Quinn were dating sophomore year, but then she cheated on him with Puck—"
"Jake?" Marley gasped.
"No, his half brother. Regardless, Puck knocked her up, and then Finn found out. He quit, but came back during sectionals right after we had our setlist stolen. Then, the three of them were mad at each other for a while, and at the end of the school year, Quinn gave birth to a little girl name Beth."
"That is. . . wild," Commented Unique, Winona nodding.
"It gets even more complex," She rambled, "Beth was then adopted by Shelby Corcoran, former coach of Vocal Adrenaline— and also Rachel Berry's biological mother. She gave her up to two gay men at birth, and—"
"Okay, you can stop telling them all our embarrassing stories now," Said the familiar voice of Santana as she walked through the door. Winona turned her head, gasping as she tackled her into a hug.
"It's so good to see you!"
( — ✿ — )
Opening night came fast, and Winona was worrying about a dozen things at once. Still, Artie and Finn assured her that everything would be fine as they watched the entire musical from backstage.
Winona was ecstatic to see Rachel and Kurt come back to see their musical, it meant a lot for her to see them supporting them and their work.
"Time for the big number," Whispered Winona, standing next to Finn as they watched behind a curtain. As the music for the iconic You're the One That I Want began, Winona watched everything closely. But, it seemed like her eyes were deceiving her.
Because when she looked at Ryder and Marley singing the romantic song, she could only picture her and Finn in their place. It was involuntary, and she kept blinking to make it go away. But it wouldn't.
Judging by the vacant look in his eyes, and his half smile— he was seeing the same thing.
Slightly freaked out, Winona rushed off, leaving Finn's side quickly.
He didn't follow, only looking over at her with a concerned expression. Her first instinct was to rush into the bathroom, just like she used to whenever she was upset. On her way there, she resisted the urge to kick a trashcan, despite how tempting. Sue probably had her under surveillance for such by now.
She leaned against the sink, rubbing her temples.
"This was a mistake," She mumbled to herself, "I shouldn't have come here. I shouldn't stay."
Winona knew for a fact that she was still in love with him. No matter how much she tried to convince herself that she wasn't. For a moment, she looked down at her wrist. The sunshine bracelet was still there— a telltale sign that their connection to each other was as alive as ever. She then looked at her reflection in the mirror. It was only then that she remembered the two necklaces she used to wear every day in New York because they made her think of Finn.
Her Finn necklace, and her engagement ring necklace were always close to her. She wasn't wearing them at that point, in the middle of her old high school bathroom, but they were always on her in spirit anyways. And, she packed them in her bag when she came back to Ohio, merely on impulse.
Like Finn, that jewelry meant the world to her.
Quickly, her phone vibrated once, signalling a text. As Winona checked it, she read her text from Artie aloud, "Our first show is over, where'd you go?"
She didn't even respond to his message, fixing her hair in the mirror before heading into the hall. On the way back to the auditorium, Finn stood in the hallway, alone. Waiting for her.
"Hey. . . you missed the curtain call," He said, narrowing his eyes at her, "Wait, why do you look upset? What happened?"
"No, nothing. I'm fine."
"For two years, I was the guy you came to with every little problem. Are we just going to pretend we're not even friends anymore?" He questioned, semi rhetorically. Winona sighed.
"No, no. We agreed we could put our relationship behind us and be friends," She excused, "Everything's fine, I just— I shouldn't have come here. It's just too weird."
"Then why'd you come?"
"I think you know," She told him, "because you came to my house after four months of ignoring me, and then yo—"
"No, I know that," Finn interrupted, "I mean— why did you stay?"
"Well, I can't afford a ticket home just yet, but I'm saving up for one. Plus, I stayed to help Artie with Grease," Winona explained, awkwardly avoiding eye contact.
"Well, thank you for staying. It means a lot to me."
Winona raised her brows, "Really?"
"Believe me, the whole time I was directing it, and making decisions, I was basically thinking, what would Winona do?"
Despite how heartwarming that was, Winona narrowed her eyes, wondering why he didn't just ask what she would do in that situation— considering she was literally there the whole time.
"Also, I'm really sorry about this whole mess. But, as we all know, making stupid mistakes is kind of my fort."
"Your . . . fort?" Winona cocked a brow.
Flashing an embarrassed smile, Finn reached up and ran a hand through his dark hair, "Uh, you know. Like. . when you're an expert at something?"
Winona couldn't help but snicker a little, clearly further embarrassing him. He let out a tiny, slightly tense laugh as he went on, "C'mon, you know I'm bad at words."
"Do you mean forte?"
"That's the word!" He perked up, "I mess things up a lot. But I'm gonna, at the very least, help you get back to New York."
"Oh, Finn, you don't have to—"
"It's my fault you're here, and staying, so it's the least I can do. Say the word and I'll give you a cut of my pay check from the tire shop so you can pay for a train ticket. No questions asked," He said nonchalantly, Winona's heart fluttering.
"Thank you, so much."
Nearly blushing, she casted her gaze at the floor. Finn then stepped forwards just a bit, hands resting in his pockets
"Now, will you tell me what you're so upset about?"
Fine. I know our relationship wasn't working out— and you used to make me feel so special and warm inside, but now everything feels different. And it's like I don't even know you. We're acting like nothing happened between us and I don't know if I can take it emotionally.
"I'd rather not," Winona answered, tone unsure. She had already worked out the whole explanation for why she was upset, but decided against sharing that with him, "It's nothing."
"C'mon, Winnie," He said kindly, "Y'know how I know that something's wrong? You're doing that thing where someone will ask you something, and you work out a mini speech that outlines everything you want to say, but then instead of saying the speech, you opt for something simple like I'm fine."
"I do not do that," She disagreed, embarrassedly rubbing the back of her neck, ". . . Do I?"
"You do. You even make that thinky-face that you were literally just making — when I asked you if you were okay."
He knew her so well, it was quite sweet. Still, she found herself embarrassed and looking for a way out of this conversation. Her saviour, Kurt, suddenly entered the hall with an upset looking Rachel.
"Hey, guys— Mr. Schue wants to see you two in the choir room." He walked by them, hand on Rachel's shoulder. Finn immediately headed to see Mr. Schue, but Winona stopped the exiting pair with the cock of a brow.
"What's wrong, you guys?"
"So much," Rachel breathed out, "Lydia wont stop trying to get back together with my, Blaine won't leave Kurt alone, and my Brody slept with Cassandra July!"
Her jaw practically dropped, looking at the brunette in shock, "Your dance teacher? Ew!"
"Winona, get in here! We have to read the newspaper reviews!" Exclaimed Artie from the doorway of the choir room. Winona quickly gave Kurt and Rachel goodbye hugs, before she headed to hear what the Muckraker had to say about their production of the iconic musical.