Back-Up Plan - Book 3 - S.E.

City of angels

"Hey, guys." Carole smiled as she walked with Burt into the choir room that morning.

"Good morning." Burt greeted the kids before turning to Mr. Schue with a smile as he walked out of his office with Sam who was quick to make his way over to Winnnie and sit beside her, shaking his head at the way she turned to look at him, almost curious about what the teacher had called him in for a talk for. "How's it going, man?"

"We just wanted to come in and say that, hum, Finn really cared about you guys. More than you know." Carole said, as everyone grew solemnly silent at the mention of their lost friend. "Finn always said that winning Nationals was the greatest accomplishment of his life. But I honestly believe that coaching you guys to winning would have meant even more to him."

"Now, now we're not saying go out there and win it for Finn. That wasn't his style." Burt continued. "Hum, what Finn would have said was this is the time of your lives right now. You're never gonna forget it, and in a moment, it's all gonna be over."

"So no sad faces. No regrets." Carole smiled, causing everyone to do the same back at her. "Just go out there and have a blast, and, you know, it'll be okay if you won the damn thing."

"And the best part about it is that Burt and Carole have agreed to come with us as chaperones." Mr. Schue announced as all the kids cheered. "But I think before we go, we need a little mood music to send us off. Brad?"

And soon as the piano player started to play Randy Newman's I Love L.A. for them, Winnie smiled as she danced and sang along with her friends knowing that, no matter what, at the very least, she would be able to enjoy some quality time with her friends - possibly for the last time in a long time.

***

L.A. had been great and all the sights that they had been able to visit were amazing. Everything was going absolutely perfect for the New Directions so far, but, of course, something had to give and so now, all of the kids were standing in the lobby of their hotel, waiting for Mr. Schue to figure out whatever mix up they had made with their rooms.

"Don't look now, but I think someone famous just came in!" Kitty practically, looking over at the door of the hotel as everyone turned to look as well.

"Even better!" Unique smirked. "It's Mercedes Jones!"

"I was hoping you'd make it!" Winnie smiled at her friend, pulling her into a hug while minding her very fancy-looking fake-fur coat as the girl smiled back at her.

"Are you crazy?" She laughed. "I wouldn't miss this for the world."

"Oh, I heard that you got a record contract because either Usher, Kelly Clarkson or Michael Jackson's daddy bought your album in a 7-Eleven parking lot." Unique said, as Mercedes smirked and just nodded her head a little.

"I was selling my CD Hell 2 the No in a parking lot." She said. "Now, I ain't gonna lie, business was wack. But then this Mexican lady bought one. I think she felt sorry for me. Turns out, that Mexican angel on Earth was the housekeeper to Kanye West. She gave it to Kanye, who gave it to Kim, and she gave it to Ryan Seacrest, who gave it to Sony Records... The Sony Records. Next thing I know, I'm sipping Perrier with a bunch of rich dudes."

"Very fancy." Winnie smirked back at her with a little wink.

"Hold up." Artie spoke up then. "Is that dog alive?"

"Oh, it's a faux-huahua." Mercedes laughed, looking down at the plushie in her handbag. "A fake Chihuahua."

"Mr. Schue, Mercedes is here!" Tina yelled out to the teacher, who turned around for a second to smile at his old student.