Disclaimer: Ryan owns Glee, Demi Lovato owns Skyscraper. That's all.
Like A Skyscraper
Rachel stood behind the curtain, breathing in deeply. After failing at Nationals last year, she was determined to get this right. Mr. Schuester didn't want to get anything wrong, so he gave Rachel the solo for the opening act. Of course it was a tough road getting there...
"Alright guys, I want this to be perfect. I want us to make it to the next round. I want New Directions to rise up beyond any group there. We're going to have a great performance." Will Schuester smiled at his choir group and turned to the white board behind him, scrawling out 'original songs' in his sloppy hand writing. He heard a few groans and a few 'yes's' being tossed around behind his back. Turning to face the kids, he surveyed the look in their eyes.
Sad, happy, disappointed, mixed feelings were being tossed all over the place. "Last year, we had an unexpected surprise.."
Finn spoke up from the back, "It was the superman of all kisses. It really deserved a cape." Rachel, who sat in the front, blushed.
"We're not having another mix up with those again. We're going to do it this way this time. No duet. Like we did before, whoever can write the best original song will get the solo. Then we'll have to figure out what song we'll want to sing as a group."
"My Cup." Brittany spoke out, pumping her fist three times slightly in the air. Santana rolled her eyes.
Mr. Schuester ignored Brittany and nodded to the students before him. "Let's get it done."
Rachel snorted. Why didn't they just sing My Cup? It would have been less embarrassing than Rachel trying to come up with some sort of emotional song again. Get It Right took her so long to figure out. She fiddled with the curtain. This song was different because it wasn't about a boy. It wasn't about a girl, either. This song would make her fellow classmates see that she was truly stronger and nothing could break her.
Kurt made his way to the stage, gently touching Rachel's shoulder. "Hey, are you okay? You look a bit... well, not like you."
Rachel looked at him seriously. "No Kurt, I'm not okay. This is my heart and soul. I feel like Tom and Katie when they were about to show Suri to the world. They were so scared that someone would steal her. This song is like my Suri, Kurt. I need this song. I mean, what if people laugh at it? What if they think it sucks so much they pre-ordered tomatoes and packed them under the seat so they could throw them at me when the song is finished and they boo and they walk out and we lose and we're nothing but losers for the rest of our miserable lives? Oh God, that means I'll never be on Broadway. I'll never marry a handsome boy and our children will never be Jewish and-"
"Rachel!" Kurt closed his eyes, pinching the bridge of his nose. "Listen, you're getting yourself worked up. And in times like this, you need to sit and ask yourself, what would Barbra do." He gave her a reassuring smile. "They're almost done. Good luck." And with that, he walked away. Rachel nodded as he walked away.
"Barbra would probably do nothing because she's Barbra and she's invincible." Rachel mumbled. Well hey, he got her to calm down a bit.
The butterflies started again in her stomach and Rachel groaned. The nervousness was never this bad. She was Rachel Berry. She could do this. This was nothing. If Rachel wanted to be on Broadway, she'd have to get over these 'butterflies' and start working harder...
"Mr. Schuester, I've come up with another masterpiece." Rachel held the papers tight in her hands as she approached the teacher. "It's choppy, but with a little help from the Glee club, we can make it good. I think that this will really help us win this time because-"
"Rachel," Mr. Schue butted in, "I like that you're showing more enthusiasm this time, but after Finn's stunt, I don't want either of you two doing solos for Nationals this year. I can't risk it for the group. They've been working hard for this win."
Her lips turned into a frown as he started to move around her. "No, Mr. Schue, you don't understand. If this song is good enough, you won't have to worry on picking someone for a solo. This will make the audience cry." Rachel stopped him again, standing in front of him. "Mr. Schuester, please.." She could feel the forced tears start to spring free from her eyes, her bottom lip quivered ever so slightly. "I need to sing this song."
Mr. Schuester stared at Rachel for a few minutes, giving a long sigh and nodded. "Alright. I trust you on this one, Rachel. Don't blow it."
Rachel watched him walk away into his office, wiping the false tears from her cheek.
She chuckled softly. At least they worked. Oh, I could so be on Broadway, she thought to herself. Rachel heard the audience roar with applause.
"They weren't even that great..." she mumbled to herself and waited for the choir group to exit the stage. The lights dimmed. It was her turn.
Rachel walked up to the center stage, taking the microphone that was then handed to her. "I will make these people cry." She reminded herself and then turned her head to look at Brad, who just so happened to tag along with them this time, and nodded her head for him to begin. Brad played the piano keys softly, just tapping his fingers on the ebony keys. The dark red curtains then began to rise, revealing Rachel to the audience.
She took a deep breath, beginning her song. "Skies are crying, I am watching, catching tear drops with my hands.." Her hands rose from her sides to emphasis the lyrics. "Only silence, as it's ending, like we never had a chance." Behind Rachel, the back stage lights turned on and silhouettes of five females swaying side to side showed, voices in the background chiming in with Rachel's melody.
"Do you have to make me feel like there is nothing left of me?" Rachel dragged out the end of 'me' as Brad stopped playing the piano. The dramatic pause was Rachel's idea. Her hand was brought up on top of the microphone gracefully. She began to sing again. "You can take everything I have. You can break everything I am, like I'm made of glass, like I'm made of paper," Her head lowered a bit, bringing the microphone down with her, "Go on and try to tear me down, I will be rising from the ground," Rachel raised her head while she sang the next line, "like a skyscraper."
"Like a skyscraper."Brad began to switch from a soft tone to a more louder tone, pressing on the keys a bit harder to get the echo he wanted. The back curtain raised to show the five figures.
"As the smoke clears, I awaken and untangle you from me." Rachel took the microphone off the stand, walking slowly in front of it. "Would it make you feel better to watch me while I bleed?" Her hand was brought up to her heart, balling her hand in a fist. "All my windows still are broken but I'm standing on my feet.." Rachel brought her hand down quickly as she began the chorus again.
"You can take everything I have, you can break everything I am. Like I'm made of glass, like I'm made of paper." She began to walk forward towards the edge of the stage. "Go on and try to tear me down, I will be rising from the ground like a skyscraper, like a skyscraper."
She stopped at the edge of the stage, waiting for the piano to get more intense, hearing the change in tone and pitch. Rachel bent her knees and closed her eyes, feeling the tears. "Go, run run run, I'm gonna stay right here and watch you disappear, oh yeah." She rose up from her crouch, "Go, run run run, yeah it's a long way down, but I'm closer to the clouds up here.." She let her hand fall softly down to her side, the piano growing softer as well.
Rachel's voice cracked slightly as she began to sing again, "Yeah you can take everything I have, you can break everything I am. Like I'm made of glass, like I'm made of paper," Her voice raised and she tilted her head back, belting out, "Ohh! Go on and TRY to tear me down, I will be rising from the ground like a skyscraper! Like a skyscraper!" Rachel lowered her gaze, looking down at the audience as she backed up slowly towards the microphone stand. "Like a skyscraper..."
The microphone was placed back on the stand and the lights lowered to a dim. Behind the happy smile plastered on Rachel's face, there were sad tears waiting to happen.