This is the Moment
By vinkunwildflowerqueen
DISCLAIMER: Glee is not mine.
AN. Hi. So, this is my first ever GLEE fic. I never thought I'd write one (turns out Rachel and Kurt are very hard to write, so if they're OOC, I apologise), but I was listening to music the other day, heard this song, and thought it was perfect for GLEE and Rachel and Kurt.
I doubt the show will do it (although I did tweet both Lea and Chris about it), so I couldn't resist writing it.
The song, of course, is "This is the moment" from Jekyll and Hyde the musical. After anything Wicked, it's my favourite Broadway song... ever. If you look on my blog (the link to which is on my profile), there's 2 videos of my favourite versions of the song.
Kurt was walking through the halls of McKinley, basking in the joy that was having a free period, when his cell phone vibrated, signalling a text message. He was expecting it to be from Blaine, but wasn't completely surprised to see Rachel's name appear on his screen.
Meet me in the auditorium, it simply read.
Kurt frowned, but meeting Rachel was a lot more appealing that doing his math homework like he'd originally intended. But he was puzzled as to what Rachel wanted, Mr Schue had given them no assignment for Glee club that week- although Kurt was sure one was coming.
And then suddenly it made sense. Both Kurt and Rachel had their auditions for NYADA at the end of the week, and both wanted to pick the perfect song that would blow the panel away and ensure their entry into NYADA, no doubt already tipped as the newest stars to light up Broadway.
Kurt felt a little sorry for Rachel. Blaine was fully supportive and was planning to accompany them to New York in the fall, and was willing to spend hours discussing song choice, staging and costumes; but whilst Finn loved Rachel and loved singing and was supportive of his girlfriend's Broadway dreams, he was less willing to debate whether it was too cliché for Rachel to sing Barbara Streisand for her audition.
Luckily for Rachel, Kurt and Blaine were happy to help her as were both her fathers, but Rachel was still prone to calling Kurt in a panic because her entire future depended on this one audition and the song had to be perfect.
So, Kurt headed for the auditorium. He found Rachel standing on the stage, going through sheet music that was littered across the top of the piano in folders.
"Rachel?"
She turned and beamed at him as he made his way towards the stage.
"Kurt! You have perfect timing!"
She hurried forward and grabbed his hand, leading him up the steps.
"What are we doing?" Kurt asked in bewilderment.
Rachel beamed at him in nervous excitement. "Do you remember at the beginning of the year? When you brought me here to prepare the NYADA mixer, that would ultimately crush our spirits and dash our fundamental hopes and dreams of sweeping into our auditions and being proclaimed as the most talented inspiring performers to arise from Ohio?"
Kurt inwardly rolled her eyes. Rachel had such a way of wording things and putting everything in perspective.
"Of course. Ding Dong! The Witch is dead," Kurt nodded with a fond smile. "I'm comforted by the fact Barbara was singing about the Wicked Witch of the East, not the West."
Rachel nodded in agreement. "I'd never be comfortable singing such a song after seeing Wicked and thinking it was about Elphaba."
"Because she's not Wicked!" they said in unison, and laughed.
"So, what does it have to do with why we're here today?" Kurt asked.
"Well, you know that we've been discussing the merits of singing a song for our auditions from a Broadway play?"
Kurt nodded again. "Of course. The NYADA admissions panel should get a sense of the talent we can bring to the stage in years to come."
Rachel turned back to the piano to pick up some of the sheet music.
"Well, whilst going through the vast range of Broadway music that has found its way into my repertoire over the years, both classic and modern; I found a song that seemed perfect for what we'll be facing in a few days. And in a nod to your admittedly inspired idea of beginning our Senior Year and our journey to NYADA; it seemed only fitting to finish the year in the same way. So, I took the liberty of arranging it."
Kurt took the sheet music Rachel handed him and as he looked at the title, a wide smile spread over his face.
"It's perfect, Rachel."
She jumped up and down, clasping her hands together. "Oh, I'm so glad you approve! Of course, I hope our endeavour is more successful and has a much more positive outcome than what happens in the musical, but the sentiment expresses our journey, I think."
Kurt smiled warmly at the pint-sized diva, remembering how not so long ago, the idea of him and Rachel Berry being friends would have been absurd. So, two good things had come of the whole thing with Karofsky and transferring to Dalton (the other was Blaine of course).
"I agree. And there's no one else I'd rather sing it with, Miss Berry."
Rachel beamed and motioned to Brad, who as usual, was floating around the piano. He obediently began to play the beginning notes of "This is the Moment" from Jekyll and Hyde. Kurt stood in the centre stage, and watched as Rachel closed her eyes, took a moment to place herself within the song, and then opened her mouth.
"This is the moment!
This is the day,
When I send all my doubts and demons
On their way!
Every endeavour,
I have made - ever -
Is coming into play,
Is here and now – today,"
It was true, Rachel decided as she sang and smiled at Kurt, giving him a miniscule nod for him to join her.
She had been planning her Broadway dreams for as long as she could remember. Every dance class, singing competition, every solo she fought for, was all leading up to this moment- the NYADA audition.
And she and Kurt had had their moments of doubt, seeing Harmony perform at the NYADA mixer, and they'd faced their demons, wondering if they actually had talent and were good enough to make it to Broadway. But they'd overcome them, by supporting one another and believing in one another and now here they were.
Kurt seemed to be having similar thoughts as he began to sing the next verse.
"This is the moment,
This is the time,
When the momentum and the moment
Are in rhyme.
Give me this moment -
This precious chance -
I'll gather up my past
And make some sense at last!"
Rachel's voice joined with Kurt's, melding together to fill the auditorium with their combined voices, soaring up to the rafters.
"This is the moment,
When all I've done -
All the dreaming,
Scheming and screaming,
Become one!
This is the day -
See it sparkle and shine,
When all I've lived for
Becomes mine!"
Kurt was concentrating on singing the song, not in the context of the musical, but as though to the universe, almost as a plea for the acknowledgement of their hard work.
And there had been "dreaming, scheming and screaming" from both of them. Kurt's campaign for senior class president had been purely motivated to boost his resume and make his application "sparkle and shine", to convince the admissions panel at NYADA that Kurt Hummel belonged there.
Almost overwhelmed by his own thoughts, Kurt fell silent, and took a small step back, for Rachel to sing the next part of the song alone.
"For all these years,
I've faced the world alone,
And now the time has come
To prove to them
I've made it on my own!
This is the moment -
My final test -
Destiny beckoned,
I never reckoned,
Second Best!
I won't look down,
I must not fall!
This is the moment,
The sweetest moment of them all!"
Rachel remembered when Mr Schuester had first taken over Glee club. Rachel had been thrilled, certain this was where her star would shine and she would receive so many solos, dreams of going to nationals- and actually winning.
But she'd never imagined or dared hope she'd find friends in glee club. She'd never really had friends before, her Broadway ambitions and (as Rachel and her dads always said) her talent, made it difficult for her to get close to people. And now she was with Finn, and had friends like Kurt and Blaine.
Kurt joined her again, moving forward to grab Rachel's hand as they sang, and she was faintly reminded of how it had been to sing For Good on the Wicked stage at the Gershwin in New York.
"This is the moment!
Damn all the odds!
This day, or never,
I'll sit forever
With the gods!
When I look back,
I will always recall,"
Kurt looked to Rachel determinedly, "Moment for moment,"
Rachel smiled knowingly as she squeezed his hand and sang to him, "This was the moment."
They joined together one final time. "The greatest moment,
Of them all!"
Kurt's voice faded as Rachel belted out the final note, their hands still joined as the music and their voices faded into silence.
They were still holding hands tightly as Rachel turned to him, her face solemn and determined.
"Miss Pillsbury said they only take twenty applicants a year into NYADA," she said firmly. "We are better than those odds, Kurt. We are the spiritual children of Barbara. It is our destiny to get in and to be on Broadway. Deal?"
Kurt nodded. "Deal. And no matter what happens, we're going to remember this moment," he told her.
Rachel nodded. "Yes. No matter what happens, Kurt… my favourite moment will always be singing with you on the Wicked stage," she admitted, tears in her eyes.
Kurt smiled and hugged her tightly. "Mine too."
They stood on the silent stage for a few more moments, simply standing there and hugging each other.
No matter what their NYADA auditions and their Broadway future held, it was a perfect way to finish their journey- singing together, as friends, ready to take on the world and see what the future held.
Rachel had been right, Kurt reflected, the song was perfect. This was their moment, one they would always remember.
