Hey all… this is my first Glee fic, so we'll see how it goes… my version of how Kurt and Rachel will sing Defying Gravity from Wicked
I'm Australian, so we're a few episodes behind… don't eat me please! I'm trying to work in the clues we have about Wheels, so I'll work in the quotes I've seen, but again, I'm not 100% on what happens, so lets just play, shall we? Kurt singing is italics, Rachel singing is underlined and both of them singing is bold, citizens of Oz are in (brackets)… I've kept the original version of the song, rather than the version on the soundtrack
Don't own… I only have recordings on my TiVo and Volume 1 of the soundtrack! Also don't own Wicked, or any other song mentioned within the story.
***
Rachel Berry was determined to let nothing get in her way. She was a star damnit, and no guy was going to distract her from that. She began to run scales. Her voice was well and truly warm by the time that the rest of Glee Club joined her in the choir room.
It wasn't unusual that they took a few minutes to calm down.
"Ok guys, you and I both know that we're more than ready for sectionals" Mr. Schue began. Mercedes intervened with an appropriately placed Z click.
"However, rather than rest on our laurels, we're gonna have a little competition. Pairs, names out of a hat, perform a song of your choice, and no Vitamin D." Mr. Schue explained. Rachel smiled. Competition. This was what she lived for. Looking at the slip of paper in her hand, her smile grew wider. Kurt. He was a good partner. She grinned at him.
"Let's rock this".
***
Rehearsals had been cancelled that day, so as to allow the pairs the best amount of time to prepare. Rachel and Kurt stood in the line at Starbucks. Kurt handed Rachel an iPod bud.
"I have an iPod dedicated exclusively to selections from Wicked. This is amazing." Rachel accepted the ear bud and began to listen. She smiled and nodded.
"For Good is just not going to work. We need to make an impact." Kurt added. Rachel flicked through the play list. She hit play
"It's my go-to shower song. It's also my ring tone. It's perfect my dear, just perfect" She stepped up to the counter and ordered an iced soy caramel latte.
"Uh, is it just me, or is that latte boy's name Taylor?" Kurt asked frantically. Rachel looked at the guy's nametag.
"Oh-em-gee, you're right. I think life just became a little more perfect!" She giggled. She had to admit it, the Jack and Karen style relationship she and Kurt had going on was fun
***
They had worked their asses off. Anybody who said otherwise was insane. They had pre recorded the track to allow for full instrumentation, but try as they might, they hadn't been able to get Rachel to fly.
It was competition day. Kurt and Rachel had insisted going last, and were hiding their deeply fabulous costumes under oversized trenches so as to make a full impact when performing.
Finn and Quinn were nothing to be concerned about. Why Quinn insisted on singing music first popularised by Diana Ross was totally beyond Rachel. She had a good voice, but she needed to leave the black girl grunt to Mercedes. Brittany and Artie were good, their rendition of Yesterday was strong, but probably needed more voices for the full impact. Santana and Matt practically had sex on stage, but after Push It, Rachel probably shouldn't be too judgemental. Puck and Tina had rocked out a fairly awesome acoustic version of Use Somebody by Kings of Leon, but Mercedes and Mike were the pair that had Rachel worried. They had used Mike's dance ability to their advantage, and their version of Billie Jean had rocked the house. Argh. Nerves were creeping in. Kurt squeezed her hand.
"It's ok Rach. Just channel your inner Idina." Rachel let out a shaky breath. She was only nervous because she was singing one of the biggest songs on Broadway. Well, that's what she told herself.
The pair walked up on stage hand in hand. It was time for the big reveal. Rather than paint Rachel green, they had agreed that I heart Oz shirts were the way to go. Rachel discreetly cracked her neck and motioned for their track to be started. Kurt resisted the urge to giggle.
"Elphaba - why couldn't you have stayed calm for once, instead of flying off the handle?" He snapped, before breaking into song.
I hope you're happy!
I hope you're happy now
I hope you're happy how you
Hurt your cause forever
I hope you think you're clever!
Rachel was in her zone. She began to sing;
I hope you're happy
I hope you're happy, too
I hope you're proud how you
Would grovel in submission
To feed your own ambition
So though I can't imagine how
I hope you're happy right now
Kurt was the perfect Glinda. "Elphie, listen to me. Just say you're sorry"
You can still be with the Wizard
What you've worked and waited for
You can have all you ever wanted
"I know" Rachel replied, slowly beginning to move upstage. From there they both just let the song take them.
But I don't want it -
No - I can't want it
Anymore: Something has changed within me
Something is not the same
I'm through with playing by the rules
Of someone else's game
Too late for second-guessing
Too late to go back to sleep
It's time to trust my instincts
Close my eyes: and leap!
It's time to try
Defying gravity
I think I'll try
Defying gravity
And you can't pull me down!
Can't I make you understand?
You're having delusions of grandeur:
I'm through accepting limits
'cause someone says they're so
Some things I cannot change
But till I try, I'll never know!
Too long I've been afraid of
Losing love I guess I've lost
Well, if that's love
It comes at much too high a cost!
I'd sooner buy
Defying gravity
Kiss me goodbye
I'm defying gravity
And you can't pull me down:
Rachel took the broom from Kurt's hands.
"Glinda - come with me. Think of what we could do, together."
Unlimited
Together we're unlimited
Together we'll be the greatest team
There's ever been
Glinda -
Dreams, the way we planned 'em
If we work in tandem
Kurt gripped the broom with Rachel
There's no fight we cannot win
Just you and I
Defying gravity
With you and I
Defying gravity
They'll never bring us down!
"Well? Are you coming?" Rachel asked.
I hope you're happy
Now that you're choosing this
"You too" Rachel added, pulling Kurt into a hug.
I hope it brings you bliss
I really hope you get it
And you don't live to regret it
I hope you're happy in the end
I hope you're happy, my friend
Rachel could feel the music building around her, and she could feel the tears slipping down her cheeks. It was time to shine. She moved to dead centre stage
So if you care to find me
Look to the western sky!
As someone told me lately:
"Ev'ryone deserves the chance to fly!"
And if I'm flying solo
At least I'm flying free
To those who'd ground me
Take a message back from me
Tell them how I am
Defying gravity
I'm flying high
Defying gravity
And soon I'll match them in renown
And nobody in all of Oz
No Wizard that there is or was
Is ever gonna bring me down!
Kurt was unashamedly sobbing as he sang;
I hope you're happy!
(Look at her, she's wicked!
Get her!)… they had cheated a little bit, adding the chorus to their recording
Bring me down!
(No one mourns the wicked
So we've got to bring her)
Rachel hit the note perfectly. She might not have been rigged up to a harness, but in that moment she was soaring.
Ahhhh!
(Down!)
The song ended. Kurt and Rachel were a crying, laughing, embrace. They had actually pulled it off. They bowed to the rest of the Glee club. Quinn's jaw was practically touching the ground. Finn had a similar expression on his face. Mercedes had tear tracks down her cheeks, and the rest of the Glee Club were on their feet, with the exception of Artie, were on their feet, cheering wildly. The rest was a blur. Rachel recalled Puck growling a command, and ten seconds later, the group was a massive pile of arms, legs, wheels and baby bumps. It was true. The definition of Glee was to open yourself up to joy. In that moment, it didn't matter who was pregnant, who was Jewish, who was whatever. The only important thing was that two members of the club had just defied gravity
Fin
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