A/N: Final chapter! :D And then tomorrow a new cycle begins and it's gonna be an exciting one, so stick around!

"Audience Testing"

Day Seven

When he picked up Rachel and saw the notebook grasped tightly in her hand, Puck knew she was locked and loaded for the day. "Morning," he told her as she sat down at his side. She looked to him with a smile, leaned in to kiss him.

"Morning," she replied. "Let's go!"

"You know the showcase isn't until this afternoon, right?"

"I know…" she promised; she definitely knew… it looked like it was eating at her to have to wait.

But at least, while they were waiting for the showcase, she had something else to keep her occupied, and that was to bask in their revealed relationship. Just like he'd promised her, they walked into school that morning, hand in hand. Even though the people in the group had found out two days ago, from Puck, at least the rest of the students had no idea, and there was surprise on some faces as they went by. If any of them ever argued with it he would deal with them, but right now no one said a word… and they could just be happy.

In a way he would say that the fact that they had been hiding all this time had been a good thing in that it gave them the chance to discover one another, as people and as a couple, because it was just their own. All of them knew exactly what it was like to be in a relationship in the open in school, at the mercy of anyone and everyone who would go and make comments… That could make people doubt, reconsider… warp reality… But they had grown together on their own, and they were that much more solid for it.

As the day progressed, they would come across members of their group, here and there. Rachel and Puck both could see how much they were all bracing for it too, some of them huddled in small groups, going over this number or that. The moment couldn't come fast enough.

One class, then another, and another, classes, lunch, more classes, and then finally they were in business – time to prepare. Rachel's notebook reappeared, and she had her phone in her other hand at all times, calling down every last one of them, like she expected anyone not to show – despite their progress, some part of her might have been afraid that some would bail on them. But, no, everyone was there, Blaine too, who had to drive down from Dalton.

The Glee Club room had been turned into hair, makeup, and wardrobe, and once people were ready for their first number, they would be sent to the auditorium, to set things up on the stage. Puck went, too – to supervise. While Rachel was helping with the Elizabeths' makeup, she got a call – it was him. "Hey, I'm just working on…"

"You wanted me to tell you when Schuester showed up at the auditorium?" he cut her off, and she nearly dropped the phone, putting it to her other ear.

"How is he? On a scale of Beiste to Sylvester?"

"I don't know, he doesn't look angry or anything… maybe kind of curious?"

"Good, curious is good," she nodded, then to the girls, "Okay, you're ready, go help?" she asked, and Lizzie and Ellie bowed their heads and headed off to the auditorium. "We're almost done here, we'll be on our way." After hanging up, she looked around – yeah, they were ready.

The rest of them made it to the auditorium and before long the stage was set, and everyone gathered backstage. "Are we supposed to make a circle?" Puck asked Rachel, and she beamed, impressed.

"Yes, everyone in a circle," she called, gathering the group. They had made it so that everyone, no matter their role in the group, would manage to hit the stage at one time or another. "So this is it. This may not be the whole show, but it's the first time we really get to see how this goes, and… as much as I don't want to think about it this way, this might be the first and only time we get to do this, so… If this is the last time, I want to thank you for trusting me with this… even when it wasn't easy," she smirked, getting some smiles back. "These last few weeks have been… life changing," she continued, and Puck, at her side, wondered if she was still talking about the show. "I am so proud, to be standing here with you. And no matter what happens… this will always be special," she nodded. Twenty-four voices cheered around her, some hands raised in the air, others grasped hands nearby. "Now let's do this!" Rachel called over their voices, and that only made them louder.

Everyone dispersed, moving into position to enter the stage on their cues. Rachel had gone to inform Will, Brad, and the band, that they were ready to start, and she returned backstage, finding Puck waiting for her. She had been playing the driven director all day, biting back her own nerves, but the moment she saw him standing there waiting for her, the façade fell off and she moved to let him hold her. "You're going to blow him away," he promised.

"So will you," she insisted.

"But you, more," he returned, and he could feel her smile against his chest. "Just don't think about yes or no, just go out there and have fun, okay?" he instructed, and she nodded. He kissed her gently, looked into her eyes. The music had begun. "Here we go…"

THE END