This is my take on Glee season 3 this story starts right after Mercedes, Santana, and Brittany leave glee club.

disclaimer: I do not own glee if I did Mercedes would have had her solo.

General POV Choir room with the New directions

The New Directions were all gathered in a collective silence. None seemed willing to break that silence either. Due to three of their most valuable players quitting and forming a new glee club named the Trouble Tones. Considering the Two out of the three were some their best singers if not our best singers then the third was one of their core dancers. Things were not looking up for the New Directions not one bit. Now here they were in what was left of the glee club some sad others angry. Though one thought she was above it all; little did she know her world was about to come crashing down. She was slowing losing everyone and everything around her, so caught up in herself she didn't realize it. And she wouldn't til it was too late.

"Okay guys, I know it has been a tough week so before we start I thought that I might share some good news," said walking in the classroom."Honestly I don't think any news could be great enough to cheer any of us up after this disaster of a week", Kurt sighed laying his head on Blaine's shoulder for support."That's where you're wrong Kurt because in this envelope I hold the theme to Sectionals this year and I before I tell you what it is I can say it's right up our ballpark," countered excitedly. "With no Disrespect whatever that theme is all Mercedes has to do is go on stage and sing and we have already lost," Tina sadly pointed out."While Mercedes does have great vocal talent Tina she doesn't compare to me. Why else do you think she has never had a solo at any competition," Rachel asked snobbishly sticking her head out?

"Excuse me hobbit but sexy Mama doesn't compare to anybody here cause she outshines the rest of us," Puck added. Well if that was-, Rachel started but was interrupted by Mr. Schue's command of Enough! I won't let this group fall apart because we lost three people! We are greater than this come on guys, shakes his in disappointment and shame seeing as he never did give Mercedes a solo at any competition. Now as I was saying the theme of sectionals is Broadway and seeing as we have two Broadway know it all I would like to say sectionals is rules are we must have a solo from Broadway and a Broadway themed group number but sing no broadway songs. Rachel,Kurt, and Blaine jumped in their seats while Puck, Artie, Quinn, Finn, Mike all groaned and exclaimed we're doomed for. While Rory and Sam confused about the reactions of the group just sat in silence.

"Not to break up you guys' excitement but we need to plan now start practicing especially you hobbit because if you're going up against Mama on the solo you're going to need all the practice you can get," Puck said. Guys calm down Mercedes doesn't have a knowledge of Broadway like Kurt and Rachel do, Mr Schue tried to assure them. "Mr. Schue you weren't here when it Mercedes was going to have a solo at sectionals in our sophomore year, but the other groups stole our songs", Finn spoke up for the first time today. Yea Mercedes has two songs that she can sing and we won't be able to do anything about it, Artie added. Rachel's face paled and Schue gasped. "Are you idiots finally getting it sexy mama will obliterate us come sectionals and there's nothing we can do about it," Puck deadpanned.

Auditorium Trouble Tones

Mercedes POV

Leaving the New Directions was an eye opener for me to say the least. With 's help i'm hitting notes I didn't think I could, my dancing has gotten better, and I even lost a little weight. With Santana and Brittany here I know we can take sectionals by storm and I can finally prove all those wrong who doubted me. We all have our different strengths and weakness though, but I think we balance each other out. While Britt can sing she is not as strong as Santana and I, but she is the our strongest dancer. While Santana is a great vocalist and dancer she cant sustain her high notes like I can but she makes up for it with her sass and emotion she can convey through her performances. Finally I round everything out with my singing my range is very high but says I've just scratched the surface of my talent while, my dancing is great it just takes me a little longer to learn all the moves. "Wheezy you know Sam is back right," Santana asked? "So what, I don't think there can be anything between us anyway and besides he's the competition," I said. "Mercy don't give us that if you still want Sammy to eat your Hershey's kisses just say so," Brittany said. I do still like Sam and still want to be with him but not til sectionals are over I don't want any distractions, I thought to myself luckily I didn't have to respond as Mrs.C chose that moment to walk in.

"All right ladies listen up in my hands is the theme for sectionals, she said walking in to the auditorium. We all go silent I hear Santana whispering "Please not Broadway". "And the theme is Broadway, Mrs.C announced! Santana groaned and began to shout curses in Spanish. "Excuse me young lady if you'll let me finish", Mrs.C reprimanded? "Now the rules are we must have a solo from Broadway and group number Broadway themed but sing no songs from Broadway," she finished. "Now I was thinking we could, Mrs.C started but I interrupted. 'Mrs.C I want to sing I am Changing from Dreamgirls as the solo," I stated.

Now knowing Mrs.C these couple of weeks I knew she liked to Challenge her students and she didn't give anything you had to earn it. So here I was expecting a challenge as she turned her gaze towards me and asked this simple question; Why should I give it to you when Santana can sing something else just as good. "Because Mrs.C you need a show stopper and Mrs.C i'm your show stopper, I pleaded. "Given the right song and practice Santana can be a show stopper too, so tell me Mercedes what makes you any different". I knew she was right but I had to do something that would convince her so I did the only thing I knew how to do I sang.

And I am telling you I'm not going

You're the best man I'll ever know

There's no way I can ever go

Santana POV

I knew that spot was Mercedes' as soon as Mrs.C opened her mouth. If Mrs.C was going to beat New directions she needed to have her best singer in front and center belting out every little note. I also knew Mrs.C wanted to see how much Mercedes really wanted it could she really lead this group to nationals and win? Mrs.C was about to find out though it has been two years since Wheezy sung this song and it was epic then imagine it now.

No, no, no, no way

No, no, no, no way

I'm living without you

I'm not living without you

I don't want to be free

I'm staying, I'm staying

And you, and you, you're gonna love me

Oh, you're gonna love me

And I am telling you I'm not going

Even though the rough times are showing

There's just no way, there's no way

We're part of the same place

We're part of the same time

We both share the same blood

We both have the same mind

And time and time we have so much to share

No, no, no,

No, no, no way

I'm not waking up tomorrow morning

Mrs.C POV

So much potential so much talent only if she didn't hold back something I bet she learned how to do under Will's tutelage. Having to go up against my daughter and still lose in the end although she was the better vocalist must have been damaging to her confidence in her vocal abilities. Don't get me wrong Rachel can sing but her tone is not as warm or full as Mercedes and her range is limited something that she can improve on but Mercedes range will continue to grow like a fine wine as she ages. The solo was already hers to begin with I just needed her to get that fire back to find her voice again and to use it like never before. I will be talking to Will about the way used her only to trot out the glory note when her voice was so much better than that i'll make him see that for sure. Lucky he would be on his way right now with his glee club I hope he doesn't miss this.

And finding that there's nobody there

Darling, there's no way

No, no, no, no way

I'm living without you

I'm not living without you

You see, there's just no way

There's no way

Please don't go away from me

New Directions

Okay guys let's head to the auditorium Mrs.C and I decided that it would be fun to have Impromptu sing off with the clubs today so come on let's show them who's better. With that they left the Choir room heading toward the auditorium. "Do you guys hear that it sounds like… Mercedes," Kurt asked? "Oh it's her all right who else in this school can lay down that song like she can", Artie asked? "Well I guess we know who got the solo for sectionals," Mike said as they entered the auditorium.

Stay with me stay with me

Stay, stay and hold me

Stay, stay and hold me

Please stay and hold me, Mr. Man

Try it mister, try it mister

I know, I know, I know you can

Tear down the mountains

Yell, scream and shout

You can say what you want

Rachel POV

I can't let her sing this song we won't have a chance at sectionals. When is she going to realize I am the only star in McKinley,she fumed!

I'm not walking out

Stop all the rivers

Push, strike, and kill

I'm not gonna leave you

Mercedes POV

Seeing the New directions come in the auditorium made me angry it made me feel all those things about myself I didn't like feeling and I put every ounce of my emotion in the song. I'm going to prove them wrong my face is going to be on every billboard, magazine, tv, and newspaper. I'll have my time in the sun.

There's no way I will

And I am telling you

I'm not going

You're the best man I'll ever know

There's no way I could ever, ever go

No, no, no, no way

General POV

Hearing Mercedes hit that note again made every New Direction member realize they were fighting a losing battle come sectionals if she was singing that song. Although they gave cheers to her they weren't as enthusiastic as they were two years ago. In contrast, The Trouble tones were in full uproar with Santana and Brittany leading the charge and while Shelby was trying to stay in impartial with her poker face on in full effect;she couldn't help but smile.

No, no, no, no way I'm living without you

Oh, I'm not living without you,

Not living without you

I don't wanna be free

I'm staying, I'm staying

And you, and you, and you

You're gonna love me

You're gonna love me, yes you are

Ooh ooh love me, ooh ooh ooh love me

Love me, love me, love me, love me

You're gonna love me

Mercedes POV

After finishing the song and letting the applause die down I heard Sam say "Ladies and gentlemen Mercedes Jones has entered the building." And in some ways he was right I felt whole again no longer doubting my vocal abilities and dreams. I was the best damn singer in this school and it's about time I owned it. I would no longer be Rachel Berry's second or Mr. Schue's glory note girl. My name is Mercedes Antoinette Jones and I would be great.

General POV

"That was great performance Mercedes and a wonderful audition that has secured you getting your solo at sectionals," Shelby said.

"Mrs.C I won't let you down, I promise, Mercedes said as she sat down in between Santana and Brittany.

"Now I know you girls are wondering why the New Directions are here ,Shelby asked? Now Schue and I have decided to have a sing off between the groups. The rules are simple we say a word you guys go back and forth until we change the word.

Mercedes POV

"How will we decide a winner", I asked? Just then came over the intercom "Ladies and Gentlemen please report to the auditorium for a impromptu performance by our very own glee clubs The Trouble-tones and New Directions, he said in a monotone voice."