This is the first fanfic I write, so every comment you make will be truly appreciated. Each chapter focuses on one character, but all of them will appear, not in every chapter, but I promise there'll be a little bit of everyone.
1. Rachel.
"I chose. Nobody made me. I chose my path. And I'm happy to be here." Rachel Berry faked another smile in front of the mirror, practicing for the moment she walked out of the ladies room and every single sophomore, junior and senior in McKinley's hallways judged her.
She took a deep breath, she primped one last time and then Mrs. Rachel Barbra Berry opened the door and went to the choir room with her head high, as usual.
She was right, those faces she left behind three months ago were staring at her then. Her perfect hearing didn't fail.
"What is she doing here?"
"That's Berry?"
"Oh my God. Again?"
That particular comment hurt her. She turned to face the person who said it. Rachel raised her eyebrows, smiled falsely and waved her hand to Becky Jackson.
"Nice to see you too, Becky." She sighed and kept walking.
"Good afternoon, Glee Club fellas." Worst entrance ever. "What the fuck, Rachel? You can do better!" She thought. Those 'fellas' looked at her and frowned. She smiled widely, trying to look happy. There was a part of her that really felt happy when she saw her friends. But that wasn't a shared feeling.
Artie cleaned his glasses, barely believing the return of the diva. Tina opened her eyes and threw her head back. Sugar shouted "vade retro" while holding out Joe's crucifix necklace. Brittany stood up and jumped. "The time machine worked!" Then she ran out of the choir room.
Blaine went and hugged her. He was the only friendly face Rachel found in that room. "She glued an hourglass to the top of the flag pole." Blaine chuckled and let Rachel lean in the hug. They stood in the middle of choir room melting into the embrace.
The former Warbler took her hand and led her to the hallway so they could speak without those looks full of hate. Rachel sat on the stairs. "You don't look surprised", she said.
"I was kinda expecting this." Blaine answered with that always kind smile on his face. "When Kurt told me that he had got into NYADA I put two and two together." He sat next to her, looking down as he talked.
"I didn't tell anyone that I left New York. Well, yeah, my dads, but I don't think they told you." She chuckled and stared at her friend's face.
"I talked to Finn and… well… he told me about your…" Blaine didn't find the words.
Rachel helped him. "That I loved him with my whole heart and I'd come back for him?"
And she felt her heart break into one thousand of little pieces again. Blaine and Rachel looked into each other's eyes. Both of them knew the story. Rachel and Finn had a two-hour long phone call and she ended up promising him that she wasn't selfish and she would be able to give up on her dreams for her fiancé/former fiancé/unknown marital status.
The bell rang. Blaine stood up and went to the choir room after Rachel told him that she needed one minute. One minute to think. "Yes. I left it all. I left it all behind for love." A tear ran down her left cheek. "And yes, I was a fool thinking he'd come back and we would be happy forever and ever." She held her head in her hands and took a deep breath. "I messed it up once, I got a second chance and I… I ran back home hoping that he would be here, waiting for me. I lost. Again."
Mr. Shue came with his usual first-day vest and his first-day smile. "Who's excited for a brand new year?" He expected more than a weak applause. Once he cast an eye on the choir room, he felt the sorrow too. Too many empty chairs. Too many missed faces. Just Artie, Tina, Brittany, Sam, Blaine, Sugar, Rory and Joe. "So, eight of us. It looks like this year we'll have some recruiting to do too." His smile did never flake. He had to be strong. He had to cheer them up.
"Nine." Rachel said walking in and giving his favorite teacher a tight hug.
"What?" Will frowned, glad to see his greatest star and confused at the same time.
Rachel stood in the middle of the room. Her favorite spot too. "Okay, previously on Rachel Berry's pain and sorrowful story." She got interrupted by a raspberry blown by Sugar. She took another deep breath. "As I was saying, I recently changed my path to success, so I took a little detour by Lima."
Will interrupted her. "But, Rachel, you can't be in Glee Club if you're not a student."
Tina rolled her eyes over. "Oh, yes, she can."
Rachel didn't understand Tina's hostility, but she carried on. "I'm taking some Spanish classes in the afternoon, so…" That time she really expected some contentment from her friends.
Mr. Shue clapped. "Well, that's awesome Rachel. Or Raquel. Como usted prefiera." Will's Spanish were as bad as always.
Rachel sat next to Blaine, glad to be there one more time.
Before Will could say anything about getting new members, Artie rolled to the middle of the room. "Mr. Shue, if I may there's something Tina and I would like to say."
Tina stood up behind him. "Artie and I have prepared an opening number. Nothing big, just a duet as the new New Direction's leaders."
Rachel's eyes opened wide. She blinked a couple times trying to get the attention but her attempt was in vain.
"We hope you enjoy it." Tina said looking at Rachel. Those words sounded like knives driving through the former co-captain's back. "Hit it."
The moment Rachel recognized the melody she almost died.
[Guilty - Barbra Streisand and Barry Gibb]
Tina:
Shadows falling, baby, we stand alone.
Out on the street anybody you meet got a heartache of their own.
Blaine and Joe:
It oughta be illegal.
Rachel elbowed Blaine in the ribs at Blaine's fun. She was almost freaking out.
Tina:
Make it a crime to be lonely or sad.
Blaine and Joe:
It oughta be illegal.
Tina:
You got a reason for livin'.
You battle on with the love you're livin' on.
You gotta be mine.
We take it away.
It's gotta be night and day.
Just a matter of time.
And we got nothing to be guilty of.
Our love will climb any mountain near or far, we are.
And we never let it end.
We are devotion.
And we got nothing to be sorry for.
Our love is one in a million.
Eyes can see that we got a highway to the sky.
I don't wanna hear your goodbye.
Uh!
Artie:
Pulse's racing, darling, how grand we are.
Little by little we meet in the middle, there's danger in the dark.
Brittany and Sugar:
It oughta be illegal.
Artie:
Make it a crime to be out in the cold.
Brittany and Sugar:
It oughta be illegal.
Artie:
You got a reason for livin'.
You battle on with the love you're buildin' on.
Artie with Brittany and Sugar:
You gotta be mine.
We take it away.
Artie and Tina:
It's gotta be night and day.
Just a matter of time.
And we got nothing to be guilty of.
Our love will climb any mountain near or far, we are.
And we never let it end.
We are devotion.
And we got nothing to be sorry for.
Our love is one in a million.
Eyes can see that we got a highway to the sky.
Tina:
I don't wanna hear your goodbye.
Artie:
Don't wanna hear your goodbye.
Artie and Tina:
I don't wanna hear your…
Artie and Tina with Brittany, Sugar, Blaine and Joe:
And we got nothing…
And we got nothing to be guilty of.
Our love will climb any mountain near or far, we are.
And we never let it end. (Artie: We never)
Tina:
We are devotion.
Artie and Tina with Brittany, Sugar, Blaine and Joe:
And we got nothing to be sorry for.
Our love is one in a million.
Eyes can see that we got a highway to the sky.
Don't wanna hear your…
And we got nothing to be guilty of.
Rachel spent the whole song making faces while the rest of the club, including Will, enjoyed it. "Outrageous." She thought during the standing ovation Artie and Tina got. They took a bow. Tina was shining. The spotlight drew a wide smile on her face, and Artie enjoyed applauses like it was the first time he heard them.
Though she didn't stood up, Rachel had to admit that their duet had been more than good. She joined the applauses reluctantly knowing that that year she would have to fight tooth and nail for her solos. Rachel and Tina both looked into each other's eyes. Tina raised an eyebrow. How mighty she felt!
Once everybody sat down, Rachel Berry realized that that was neither her place nor her throne anymore.