Season 3 Episode 1 … Perhaps
Mr William (does he have a middle name?) Schuester departed his Spanish classroom in a hurry and barely acknowledged the love of his life, Emma Pillsbury, as they passed in the hall. He ducked into the staff room and dumped the bundle of teaching materials he'd been carrying on his desk, swapping them for the bundle of sheet music and cds that he'd selected for the first Glee club meeting of the new school year, senior year for many of his proteges. New Directions. It still thrilled him to realise he had taken a bunch of misfits and molded them into an all-singing, all-dancing Nationals-attending team (well Rachael hadn't needed much molding admittedly, or Mercedes … but Finn! and Tina! and Kurt! and all the others!) Raw talent then, polished stars on the rise today! But it still made him cringe when he remembered standing in front of the board that listed the top ten and having to tell the kids that New Directions was not among them. He knew, no matter what Santana might have screamed at the lovebirds back in the hotel room, that it was all his fault. He had been distracted by April Rhodes and an out-of-date dream. He had realised the price of the closure he'd received at the theatre as he teared up in conversation with the asshole who coached Vocal Adrenaline but it was too late to prevent the road crash of last-minute composition and lack of attention to the emotional state of his babies. He made a mental note to check in with Quinn after Glee Club today and reached into his pocket for his trusty marker pen as he pushed open the doors of the Choir Room. Yes, considering the way the last school year had ended the name he'd chosen when he took over the Glee Club from the sleazy Ryerson was more appropriate than ever. Once again they needed a New Direction, and once again they would find it together.
Will stood in front of the group on the tiered seats but looked at the floor for a few moments gathering his thoughts. He hadn't bothered looking at the list of enrolled students that had appeared in his pigeon hole this morning because he knew that placing 12th at Nationals was unlikely to draw any new members to this room seeking his mentoring. (And Sunshine Corazon had finished her exchange and returned to the Philipines so she wasn't going to miraculously decamp from the 5-time-winning team that was Carmel High's Vocal Adrenaline either, despite Rachael's noble fence-mending in New York).
His eyes sought out the glint of metal that unmistakably identified Artie in the front row and spoke to him first:
"Artie. Thank you for coming back to Glee Club. It's great to see you again."
One by one he looked at and spoke to each of the kids he'd let down but who loved him anyway. They were all here.
"Santana. Although you're sometimes scary, we couldn't do without you."
"You know it," she replied in her saucy way.
"Brittany, Fondue for Two kept me in stitches over the holidays, thank you!"
"Thanks Mr Schuester!" Brittany replied chirpily then froze. "Wait, isn't it dangerous to sew while you're on the internet? You could really hurt yourself if you don't pay attention. I've been banned from using the sewing machines in the Home Economics classrooms."
Will shook his head as usual at Brittany's bizarre ways and moved on.
"Noah, I'm so glad you're part of New Directions." (The first to hug him at the end of last year, Will was aware that when his job had been on the line during Sue's ghastly stint as acting-principal last year Noah had sat in her office and told her that Will was the only teacher who ever touched him.) Will reached out and patted Noah's shoulder affectionately.
"Lauren, would it be polite of me to compliment you on your weight loss?" he asked the tough temptress next to Noah.
"Sure Mister Schue," she replied, "but you'd better compliment Puckerman. Turns out sex burns a lot of calories and we had a LOT of sex over the summer!"
Blushing Will laughed along with the rest of the group.
"Mike, Tina," he moved on, "I'm delighted to have you both here again."
"Yeah sure thanks," they both muttered uncomfortably and Will found he was learning his first lesson of the new year - never assume. Tina was on the lower level and Mike behind her on the upper. It looked like summer break had not been as kind to their romance as it had to Lauren and Puck's. He would have to learn not to treat them as a package deal any longer.
He moved on.
"Rachael, Finn, how are you?" Oh no, he realised, I've given her an opening. She's going to speak for 20 minutes and then expect to sing a song … He hurried along to Kurt sitting next to his step-brother:
"Kurt, I think we made a big mistake by not showcasing your unique talent at Nationals. I'm certain no other team could boast of having a Counter-Tenor in their ranks and if I'd been brave enough to take Jesse's idea of building the performance around one singer and made you that person I think we'd have blown the other teams out of the water. That's how I'd play things if I had my time over again." Will was pleased to see the blush of pleasure on Kurt's face and moved to the next of his protoges … only, it wasn't one of his kids sitting next to Kurt. It was
"Blaine?"
"Hi Mr Schuester," Blaine said shyly.
None of the other kids looked surprised by his presence but Will was stunned.
"Have you transferred to McKinley?"
"Yes Sir," Blaine replied respectfully and smoothed a hand over his neatly parted and heavily gelled hair, demonstrating that you could take the boy out of Dalton but you couldn't take Dalton out of the boy.
"Um, I'd kind of like to hear more about that before we go any further," Will said. He looked to Kurt expecting to see a smug expression but found Kurt was looking at Blaine supportively, his eyes soft.
Blaine was looking uncomfortable. Dressed neatly in a fitted t-shirt and pressed slacks, he had a notepad and pen on his lap ready to listen, not to speak.
Mercedes jumped in, instead:
"We all went to a party at Blaine's place on the holidays, Mr Schuester, and his parents were so impressed with our maturity that we rekindled their faith in the public school system."
"Yeah," piped up Sam, sitting rather closely to Mercedes Will noted. "So they thought they'd save some dough and send him here."
Then it was Quinn's turn:
"Blaine's already sung at prom and he's been wandering around McKinley for months confronting Karofsky about his bullying. This just formalises his membership of New Directions."
"But the Warblers, Blaine? You were their lead singer! Didn't you want to stay and enjoy all those solos?"
"Oh no, I mean, I'll miss some of my friends but don't worry I'm not expecting to have as much of the spotlight here." Blaine hurried to say. He took a deep breath. "To be honest I think I'll learn more here by being part of an ensemble where everyone is equal. Music and singing are the most important subject in the curriculum to me and that was a big factor in the decision to transfer."
Will was still certain that the kids were hiding something but he didn't want to interrogate the boy too much.
"Well you are very welcome here Blaine and I'm sure we'll benefit from having you in our team," he said.
Puck spoke up with some good-natured ribbing: "New Directions did slaughter the Warblers at Regionals Mr Schue. I'm sure Blaine just wants a shot at making it to Nationals this year."
They all laughed and Will soaked up the pleasure of being with the kids again. Then Rachael stood up.
"Speaking of Nationals this year, and Blaine's addition to our ranks …" she made her way down the tiered seats to the floor and Will knew he would not be able to stop her having her usual go at running the whole club, so he graciously moved over and sat on the piano bench.
"Mr Schue, fellow Glee Clubbers. We all know that Finn and I have an epic passion that could not be contained on the stage in New York. In the interests of improving on our 12th place result at Nationals last year Finn and I have made the heart-breaking decision to forego singing duets in competition this year. You will still have the pleasure of our pitch-perfect example during Glee club each week, and as often as possible in between…" Finn was smiling at Rachael like he'd won the lottery, Will noted, and once again, wondered at the many faces of love, but Rachael hadn't finished yet …
"Luckily there is an established working relationship between Blaine and I that will allow a seamless transition and he and I will now perform one of the 10 songs on my short list for Sectionals …"
Rachael was smiling in her efficient and simultaneously ball-breaking way as she held out a set of sheet music towards Blaine who looked suddenly mortified and horrified at the same time.
The Glee Club erupted into chaos.
"Are you talking about the drunken karaoke at your lame party?" Santana yelled.
"The only person Blaine will be singing love songs with will be me!" Kurt declared in an extremely high pitch.
"What about the duets Sam and I have sung," Quinn put in. "We actually won when he and I sang together."
"I keep telling you, I am supposed to have all the solos!" Brittany reminded.
"I've changed the words to Big Ass Heart to honour my lady's new svelte shape and if there's any song to be sung at Sectionals it should be mine!" Puck announced.
Will stood up and cut off the shouting match.
"Um guys?" he said. Then louder, "I think we can leave the song choice for Sectionals until a little further down the track. However Rachael has highlighted the issue of voice combinations which I wanted to discuss with you today."
Rachael returned to her seat in a huff and Will stepped towards the white board to write in capital letters: NEW DIRECTIONS! He then underlined DIRECTIONS once and NEW 11 times.
"New Directions!" he said excitement filling his voice and face. "For many of you this is your senior year. You are coming to the end of your formal education but beginning a life-long journey of growing and learning about yourselves as performers and as human beings. Yes, Rachael and Finn were carried away on the stage in New York. But they have learned something from that experience. And all of us gained something from our time in the Big Apple …"
Sam and Mercedes shared a fond look.
"I want Glee Club this year to be all about learning - not just winning," Will continued. And that's why you're first assignment for the year is to compose and sing a duet with someone in the Glee Club with whom you have never sung before. So, no Rachael and Finn, no Santana and Mercedes, no Quinn and Sam … this assignment is about working in new combinations and singing in new ways. So be adventurous. Choose your partners and surprise me with some awesome new songs guys!"
Kurt stood up to gain Will's attention.
"Since Blaine and I have never sung together at McKinley before I assume he and I are permitted to partner for this assignment?"
Will sighed. Didn't Kurt see that he wouldn't learn as much if he sang with Blaine as he would by taking the assignment as it was intended and picking a less familiar duet partner?
He was trying to carefully choose his words when Blaine spoke thoughtfully to Kurt:
"No, I'm sure we'll have a chance to perform together in Glee Club soon, Kurt. But I'm intrigued by Mr Schuester's assignment. Don't be mad, love, but I'd kind of like to try singing with Santana, if she's agreeable."
Will was delighted at Blaine's maturity and the gracious way Kurt agreed. He saw Santana give Blaine a haughty nod and knew she was secretly touched.
Sam then surprised Will by propositioning Kurt for his talents as singing partner: "I missed out on doing a duet with you last year Kurt and I'd love to try again."
Although Mercedes was looking very upset Will was excited that the kids were going to take the assignment and run with it.
"Fantastic guys, I can't wait to hear what y'all come up with. This is going to be a great year!"