Chapter 1:

Darren was sitting alone in his apartment flipping through the "Starkid" tag on tumblr. This tag always seemed to make his heart break a little, and it always seemed to put a damper on whatever day he was having. But he seemed to always find himself in the same chair, at the same time, doing the same thing. It's almost like he enjoyed the pain, you would think he was insane if you actually through about it. That tag symbolized something for him, he came across one gif that made his heart wrench, and a tear streamed down his cheek. It read, "This is the last time."

Darren shut his computer and threw it on to the couch beside him. This is the end. Starkid no longer needed him. He was nothing but a memory.

"They'd be better off without me." He said. "I wish I was never in a Starkid production." And with that Darren closed his eyes and drifted off into a deep sleep.

XXX

Darren woke up hours later in a room that didn't look familiar. The apartment was in shambles and he had no idea where his half decent apartment had gone. "Joey?" he called hoping his roommate was somewhere to be found. "Joey?" Darren's head jolted when he heard a baby cry.

"What the fuck?" he mumbled. "Who has a baby?" He continued to walk through the small corridors when a door flung open. And standing in front of him was a girl he had never seen before carrying the crying infant.

"Did you fucking fall asleep again Darren? God. Explain again why I ever agreed to marry you?"

Darren's jaw fell as he looked down at his ring finger. Staring back at him was a thin solid gold band. He was married, married to a girl he didn't even know the name of. A woman who had given birth to his child.

"Are you going to keep looking at me like I have three heads? Go feed the baby. I've got to get ready for my shift."

"Shift where?" Darren asked as he took the infant from his "wife."

"The diner? Do you really think the three of us could live off of your lousy salary? I mean yeah Magiano's has nice food, but they pay shit. And all your other gigs can barely even pay for Michael's diapers. I don't know when you're going to wake up from this dream Darren. The reason you never got any of those auditions was because you're not good enough. Wake up and smell the coffee. You're not a star. I just wish you'd figure that out before we're living on the streets."

And with that Darren was left alone in an unfamiliar apartment with a child he was pretty sure was his. Someone was playing a sick joke and he was going to get to the bottom of it.

XXX

After feeling the child Darren put him down for a nap and started to go through his phone contact list. He knew his friends were playing a joke, and he needed to get to the bottom of it. But as he went down the list he noticed almost all of his contacts were gone. No Lauren, or Joey, or Joe, or any Starkid for that matter. As he continued he didn't see Lea's name, or Chris' or anyone he shared his last three years with. Darren ran his fingers through his hair but stopped halfway through. His short locks that he remembered going to sleep with were now replaced with the unruly ones he had cut a few years back. This wasn't a joke. This was reality.

He got up as fast as he could and ran into the bathroom to stare at himself in the mirror. He looked tired, bags were under his hazel eyes, the unruly curls were the worst he had ever seen them, and a beard was growing from a bit of scruff. He heard a clash and quickly turned around he yelled as he saw who was right before him. He wiped his eyes in disbelief, because before him was a Lion, with a wizards hat on.

"Please tell me I'm tripping or something…Because this feels like a scene from a really bad drug bust movie…" Darren said to the lion.

"It's me Rumbleroar. Your guardian angel."

Darren just stood there in confusion. He had to have been hallucinating. There was no way Rumbleroar was standing in his bathroom.

"What the fuck is going on!" Darren hollered as he finally regained his ground.

"You were never in a Starkid production. Your wish came true." Rumbleroar stated.

"Wait, what?" Darren was beyond confused.

"We're currently in an alternate universe where Darren Criss was never Harry Potter."

"But what does that have to do with where I am right now?"

"You were never Harry. You never went on to be in Glee, you got married to the first girl who noticed you because you never got to know the one person you loved the most."

"But it's all going to go back…I'm not here forever right…you'll take me back. Take me away from all of this. Whatever this is. Whoever these people are! I get my life back right? This is just a lesson!? I've learned it. I want to go back home…"

"I'm sorry son. I'm afraid that's not something I can do. The Harry-less life didn't choose you, you chose the Harry-less life."

Darren slid down the wall and sat with his head down. "Can I at least see where they are…"

Rumbleroar sighed at Darren's sad face. "I can do that much."