"What - Artie – where are we going?"
"No questions - just follow me." Artie told a very confused Blaine as they hurried through the hallways of McKinley.
They stopped at the door to the auditorium where Artie wheeled around to face Blaine, his head level with Blaine's Warbler tie.
"Go in." he said.
"What? Why?" asked Blaine, who still had no idea what was going on.
"Just go in, all will be explained."
Blaine entered the darkness of the auditorium and saw a lit stage, where a girl stood alone.
"Quinn?"
"Oh, hey, Blaine!" she said, tucking her short hair behind her ear and glancing backstage. "Take a seat." she gestured towards the rows of chairs.
Blaine sat down about halfway along the middle row.
"Blaine," said Quinn, "Seeing as you're transferring soon, and we want you to be happy here and feel welcome and... to say thank you for all you've done not just for Kurt, but for all of us... Kurt and Rachel have already planned their own thing – they couldn't be here right now 'cause of NYADA stuff, but... this is for you, Blaine."
She adjusted her blue skirt and pulled her yellow cardigan around her nervously as the music started.
I'm sitting in a railway station
Got a ticket for my destination oh, oh
Puck walked out from backstage and stood next to Quinn, an arm around her waist.
On a tour of one night stands
My suitcase and guitar in hand
They sang together.
And every stop is neatly planned for a poet and a one man band
Mike and Santana, in her Cheerios uniform, walked on from the other side.
This wave
Is stringing us along
Along
Just know you're not alone
Blaine smiled.
'Cause I'm gonna make this place your home
Every day's an endless stream
Of cigarettes and magazines oh, oh
Mercedes strolled out to join the group.
And each town looks the same to me
The movies and the factories
And every strangers face I see
Reminds me that I long to be
The trouble it might drag you down
If you get lost you can always be found
Now Finn was there; his voice rising above the rest as he sang with the group. Together their voices were so powerful they sent a chill down Blaine's spine.
He watched his new friends... soon to be new classmates. He smiled, though his eyes were sad.
Just know you're not alone
'Cause I'm going to make this place your home
And the rest of the glee club arrived: Tina, Artie, Brittany, Sam, Joe, Rory, and Sugar, all backing the lead singers. The people onstage huddled together, arms around eachother, pointing to Blaine and singing directly to him.
Oh, oh, oh, oh, oh
Ah...ah...ah...ah...ah
Where my thought's escaping
Oh, oh, oh, oh, oh
Ah...ah...ah...ah...ah
Where my music's playing
Oh, oh, oh, oh, oh
Ah...ah...ah...ah...ah
Where my love lies waiting
They were all gesturing excitedly for someone backstage to come out.
Silently for me
Suddenly the stage was swarmed from both sides with blazer-clad boys, all smiling, throwing arms around eachother, surrounding the New Directions. The Warblers harmonised perfectly, adding volume and emotion to a song already so powerful.
Settle down, it'll all be clear
The trouble it might drag you down
If you get lost you can always be found
Just know you're not alone
'Cause I'm gonna make this place your home
Oh, oh, oh, oh, oh
Blaine choked back his tears, eyes glistening, as he watched his friends, old and new; sing their hearts out to him. This wasn't just an amazing song: it was farewell from the Warblers, and acceptance into the New Directions.
Oh, oh, oh, oh, oh
Ah...ah...ah...ah...ah
Where my music's playing
Oh, oh, oh, oh, oh
I'm gonna make, I'm gonna make, make this place our home
The Warblers all jumped down from the stage and ran towards Blaine, who was grabbed by the sea of hands and pulled onto the stage.
Oh, oh, oh, oh, oh
By this time, Blaine was crying freely, overwhelmed with gratitude and sadness. He was squashed by the sheer number of hugs, strong hands slapping him on the back.
Know you're not alone
Oh, oh, oh, oh, oh...
Blaine stood at the front of the stage, facing his classmates, tears streaming down his cheeks.
"I – guys – I –"
They all laughed as he wiped his eyes, unable to stem the flow of tears that just kept coming.
"I – thank you." he said, his voice cracking, "Just – thank you. That was truly the best welcome I could have ever asked for."
The New Directions smiled.
"The least we could do." shrugged Finn.
Blaine turned to the Warblers and his tears started afresh. The sea of blazers engulfed him in a giant group hug, leaving Blaine spluttering his thanks in the middle.
"I'm going to miss you guys, so much."