HERE, MISTLETOE, USE IT!

EVERYBODY WAS BACK TOGETHER IN THE NEW DIRECTIONS JUST IN TIME FOR CHRISTMAS. In a desperate attempt to get a starring role in the TV special that the glee club had been offered to take part in, Rachel was up at the front of the auditorium singing 'River' in the hopes of catching director, Artie's attention.

The beauty of the song was only interrupted by the fact that the whole glee club had heard Rachel Berry sing this kind of song every other day. So slumping down in their seats, Tessa found herself in between Quinn and Blaine, with both of their heads resting on each of her shoulders as they listened along to to the song.

Finishing with a beaming smile on her face as Artie called her over, Rachel clearly had it in her mind that he was about to give her the starring role there and then. Taking the opposite approach, Artie just bluntly said, "your song — it makes me wanna kill myself."

Flushing red with embarrassment as she noticed Tessa's eyes go wide, spluttering on the popcorn she was sneaking out of her bag, Rachel looked truly offended, "I'm sorry, Joni Mitchell is not depressing, she's emotional."

"It doesn't fit my vision for the Christmas Spectacular." Artie told her ruthlessly. As he trailed off explaining elaborately the vision he had as a director for the TV special, Tessa found herself frowning as she listened in, not sure whether it was the vision of Christmas she herself had imagined.

"Are you telling me I'm not invited to Kurt and Blaine's for Christmas?" Rachel pouted, worriedly.

"Not unless you choose a happier song." Artie shrugged, moving on to the end of his visions, "the evening festivities conclude with Rory dressed as the Christmas elf Itchy, reciting 'Frosty the Snowman.' Start with fun, end with fun, that's how you do it kids."

Standing from his chair, Sam was frowning deeply at the sight of his friends just laughing and nodding along to Artie's vision, "the Frosty story isn't fun. At the end he melts and dies." He told him, meeting eyes with Tessa, glad to see that she was frowning along as well.

Waving this off, Artie couldn't seem to find a problem with it, "I'm rebooting Frosty. In my version, he doesn't melt, he... well, new pages forthcoming."

"What's wrong with a story that's a little sad? Or a song that's a little depressing? That's part of Christmas too." Sam protested, "it's the sad things that make you realize what's really important."

Nodding along in full agreement, Tessa stood up after him to support him, and sent him a reassuring smile, "Sam's right. I'm sure whatever you had planned would be great, Artie. But it's there's nothing wrong with feeling a bit down at Christmas. It isn't an easy time for everyone."

"Sorry guys, but the phrase is Merry Christmas, not morose Christmas. That's the vision. That's what you have to buy into." Artie said, wanting to emphasize his point.

"Well sorry, Artie, we're not buying into it." Sam told him, firmly, moving out of the auditorium seats, "I'm gonna go downtown, see if I can ring one of those Salvation Army bells. Come on Tess, Rory?"

Managing only to trip over Mike's feet as she scrambled out of the seats, Tessa gave him a bright smile, "I'm coming!" Grabbing hold of her hand, Sam let out a small laugh as he helped her out, grateful to have someone on his side.

Filling with guilt as the pair gazed back at him expectantly, Rory gave them a regretful smile, "I should memorize my part."

Hiding his disappointment, Sam gave him a single nod before turning round towards the door, with Tessa following right behind him. Picking up the pace to catch up with him, Tessa gave him a thump on the back and a small smile of support, "you didn't have to come, you know." He said softly, "you could be on TV or whatever."

"I wanted to." Tessa assured him, "why would I wanna be on TV when I could be right here with you?"

Chuckling, Sam felt the old spark between them flying back and with a motion towards his locker signaling he wanted to stop there before they continued. Pulling his beanie onto her head, he smiled brightly as she laughed, "it's cold out. Can't have you freezing out there, can I? Santana would probably poison me."

"I'm tough." Tessa shrugged, raising her eyebrows up and down, reaching out to give him a playful shove, "don't know about you though."

"Hey, I'm tough." Sam pouted, "I play football and guitar and I've been hillbilly hand fishing."

Closing his locker for him as they continued on, Tessa's grin grew larger as she carried on teasing him, trying to ignore the old fluttery feeling she thought had gone away returning, "correction: you used to play football. I could totally tackle you to the floor right now."

"Go on then, I dare you." He challenged, spinning round to walk backwards in front of her, waving his hands towards himself. Slapping his hands down to his sides as he saw her raised eyebrows, Sam shrugged his shoulders, "suit yourself. Just know, I'm getting you your own beanie for Christmas so you won't have to wear mine."

Pulling it further onto her head, Tessa chuckled softly and looked at the floor to hide her blush, "yours is comfy."

Licking his lips slowly as he felt his own cheeks heat up slightly, Sam couldn't stop himself from smiling as he looked back at her, "you do look cute in it." Shoving his hands into his pockets after a short pause, "so what are you up to this Christmas?"

"Nothing much, really." She replied with a gentle shrug, "my brother's coming home from college and he's bringing his friends so I guess I'll be pretending to listen to their conversations."

"Well why don't you come to mine for Christmas?" Sam suggested, nervously, "Rory's coming too, and he's asked me to teach him some of my impressions. I could show you the brand new impressions I learnt in Kentucky, I think you'll like them."

"I'll love them." She confirmed, with a grin, "are you sure your mom won't mind?"

With an awkward chuckle, Sam rubbed the back of his neck, "she's dying to see you." He admitted, "always asking about you on the phone. And I think Stacey's made you a Christmas card. She misses you more than me. I think the question here is will your boyfriend mind?"

Waving it off with her hand, Tessa shook her head, "he won't even notice I'm gone." She laughed, "I'm totally in. I just wanna see your mom and Stacey. And hear all your impressions on the drive of course."

Full of excitement, Sam didn't manage to play it as cool as he'd hoped and flashed her a beaming grin as he held out his arm for her to link into his as they left Mckinley to go and ring some bells.

                            ☆

QUINN FABRAY HAD DECIDED TO HELP OUT AT THE HOMELESS SHELTER WITH TESSA AND SAM. With only these three choosing to keep their promise to Coach Sue to help at the homeless shelter, there was a lot for the three to do.

Whilst Tessa was sat with the kids singing jingle bells at the top of her lungs to drown out the piano playing, after being shouted at by the pianist, Quinn and Sam were dishing up food. Becoming amused as she watched Sam staring at Tessa fondly, Quinn turned round and picked up a bunch of mistletoe, holding it his way, "here, mistletoe, use it!"

Shocked by her bluntness, Sam bent down and placed a peck right on her cheek. Rolling her eyes with a laugh, Quinn raised an eyebrow at him, "I meant for Tessa."

"Oh, okay, ask her, I'm sure she'd love to kiss you." Sam said with a small grin.

"You and Tessa." Quinn chuckled, forcing the mistletoes into the palm of his hand and closing his hand around it, "everyone knows you still like her. Here's your chance. Take those lips of yours and kiss her."

Shaking his head, Sam gave her a sad smile and went back to scooping food onto the plates, "she has a boyfriend. I have to respect that."

"Oh come on. She deserves better and you know that." Quinn said firmly, a hand slamming down on his shoulder, "she deserves someone who likes her as much as you clearly do. Take your chance. The worst she can say is no."

"Am i that obvious?" Sam chuckled, nervously, growing embarrassed as Quinn nodded right back at him. Trying to move conversation on so he wouldn't have to think about confessing his feelings, he turned his head to give her a smile, "everyone's been telling me you've been having a rough year. But you seem good to me."

"I'm better." She told him, gently, "I think I was just focusing on everything I didn't have and not on the stuff that's good, things in the future."

"I'm glad you turned it around. You deserve good things, Quinn." Sam smiled back at her sincerely.

"So do you. So that's why I'm gonna do this." Giving him a wave goodbye before he could figure out what was happening, Quinn had whipped her apron off and skipped over to where Tessa was. Pointing over to the food station she quietly asked Tessa to take her place. Throwing an excited thumbs up Sam's way, Quinn flashed him a wink before busying herself with the decorations.

Picking up the scoop, Tessa looked up to Sam with a wide grin, not managing to get a word in before Coach Sylvester made her way over to lecture them on portion control. Smiling as him and Tessa managed to sneak glances at each other as they served, Sam fiddled with the mistletoe in his hand, wanting nothing more than to be able to proudly hold it up and kiss her underneath it.