Picture Perfect - Book 2 - Q.F.

Original song

A/N: Maybe a bit of a trigger warning at the very last scene, but nothing too graphic. Just thought I'd give you a heads up.

"Guys, I've got some bad news." Mr. Schue said, as soon as he walked into the choir room that day. "You know how we decided on Sing by My Chemical Romance for Regionals? Well, I hold in my hand a cease and desist letter from the band. We can't do it."

"Ugh, it was the perfect anthem." Puck groaned.

"How much do you wanna bet Coach Sylvester had something to do with this?" Mercedes asked then, as Mr. Schue nodded.

"One step ahead of you." He said. "Questioned her about it and she admitted it was payback for me taking away her Cheerios."

"So, what are we gonna do now?" Piper asked.

"I think... We should write original songs for Regionals." Rachel spoke up, still clearly trying to push her original songs idea.

Once more, however, that hadn't been too well received.

"All those in favor of voting Rachel down a second time?" Santana asked, and even before anyone could put their hands down, the unexpected happened.

Speaking up in Rachel's behalf was no one other than Quinn Fabray herself.

"No, I think Rachel's right." She said, as Piper frowned, absolutely shocked about seeing Quinn agreeing with Rachel at all, but especially about this. "This team works best when we push ourselves and do something a little different."

"Well, that's true but if all the other teams are doing amazing songs." Mercedes said. "We're not gonna be so good."

"You're right, we're not gonna be as good. We're gonna be better." Quinn argued, as Mercedes turned to look at Piper, who just shrugged at her and turned around in her seat to stare at Quinn. "We won't be using other peoples' words or music. It'll be our own. Our own heart, soul, not just our voices. We have a really talented songwriter in our midst. Rachel? I was thinking maybe you and I could write a song together."

Write a song together? Why would Quinn even want to be in the same room as Rachel, let alone write a whole song with her? Rachel smiled at Quinn, though. But noticing Piper's stare on her, Quinn looked away. It wasn't until Finn Hudson spoke up that it all started to make a bit more sense again.

"I'm with Quinn and Rachel." He said. "I mean, if these two can agree on something it's probably an idea worth considering."

And when Quinn sent him a small smile, Piper scoffed. And there she was again... Quinn Fabray, deciding to ignore her feelings in fear of people's reactions as she pursued another pointless rendezvous with yet another boy.

"W-wait, wait." Santana spoke up then, snapping Piper's out of her thoughts. "So, suddenly you two are writing the music for Regionals? No way. I think that everyone should get a chance to write a song."

"Santana's right." Sam said. "We can do this."

"What do you think Mr. Schue?" Mercedes asked then, turning to look at the teacher as he smiled.

"I think we're doing original songs for Regionals."

***

"All right guys, let's hear it for our first songwriting seminar." Mr. Schue said, as the kids all clapped. He smiled then, passing out some rhyming dictionaries for everyone. "While Quinn and Rachel are hard at work, we are gonna try and write an anthem of our own. Now, these are rhyming dictionaries for all of you."

"Hum, Mr. Schue." Santana raised her hand as everyone turned to look at her. "Tina and I have been uh already working on a song that I wrote."

"Really? That's amazing." Mr. Schue smiled proudly. "Can we hear it?"