CLOUD NINE | GLEE • OC X OC | ON HOLD

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CHRISTMAS TIME. ONE OF IVORY'S FAVORITE TIMES OF YEAR.

Not for the presents, but just for a time where friends and family join together and celebrate the holidays.

Even if they end up in screaming matches like when she was little.

[THE MOST WONDERFUL TIME OF THE YEAR - performed by the New directions]

"Hey, guys. What's this?" Mr. Schue walked into the choir room to see the group decorating a tree with ornaments and other things.

"Oh, we're trying to get into the Christmas spirit, Mr. Schue. Christmas is totally my favorite holiday. And check out this awesome tree. I found it on the side of the road. It must've fallen off some guys car." Finn explained.

"And the ornaments?"

"The guy who lives next door finally killed off his elderly mother. And when they carted him off, they left the house like, wide open, so... I think she was a holiday hoarder." Santana added.

"Uh, and the presents?"

"I lifted them from a display at the mall. Don't worry, they're empty." Puck continued.

"Guys, look, I appreciate the effort, but this isn't what Christmas is supposed to be like." Mr. Schue sighed.

"For us, it is. This tree is like a mascot for Glee Club." Mercedes spoke. "We won sectionals two years in a row, and according to everyone at this school, we still suck."

"I'm pretty sure they just added food coloring to real slush from the parking lot." Mike suggested.

"You can eat that, you know." Lauren joined in.

"No. I am not gonna let you guys throw yourselves a pity party. Look, I'm the first one to say that things haven't turned out exactly how I would have liked them to this year, but Christmas is all about being grateful for the things that did." Mr. Schue explained.

"I thought that was Thanksgiving." Puck muttered.

"And this year, glee club is gonna lend a hand to the McKinney-Vento Homeless Children and Youth program right here in Lima."

"How are we gonna do that?" Rachel asked.

"The only way we know how, by singing about it. We're gonna go classroom to classroom caroling, to raise money for the McKinney-Vento." Mr. Schue announced.

"Wait, classrooms in this school, with like, students in them?" Tina asked.

"Well, if there are no students in them, there will be no one to put money in the collection box while we sing." Mr. Schue glanced around.

"We're gonna be killed." Quinn muttered.

"No, guys, it's Christmas. The time for miracles. We got to try this." Finn agreed with Mr. Schue.

"Finn's right. So, let's start rehearsing." Mr. Schue smiled, holding a small Christmas tree up.

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AS THE NEW DIRECTIONS WALKED DOWN THE HALLWAY TO THEIR FIRST CLASSROOM, IVORY GRABBED AHOLD OF LUKE'S ARM, AND PULLED HIM IN A SEPARATE DIRECTION.

"What are you doing?" Luke asked, keeping up with her fast pace.

"Yeah, I'm not letting us get killed by students when we sing in a classroom. Mr. Schue won't even notice we're gone." Ivory smiled, stopping in the middle of the hallway once they were out of sight.

"How thoughtful of you." Luke smirked, pulling her closer to him.

"Well, I can't let your pretty little face get hurt anymore." Ivory joked.