DISCLAIMER: I do not own GLEE.

GLEE

It had been three days since her momentary lapse in judgement with Finn, so far she hadn't mentioned what had happened to anyone although she had a feeling Artie knew given the sly smiles he kept sending her way.

"Those girls are impossible to work with, if I have to hear that Aretha Wannabe threaten to cut Ms. Boob Job again I will kill them all. I bet the jury would even side with me!"

Rachel looked up from the floor where she was playing with blocks with Beth.

"Rehearsal didn't go well?"

"What was your first clue?" Indi asked brightly, all fake of course. "First no one could agree on a song, then they decided to do a mash-up and then it was a fight over who would sing lead. If it wasn't for that Tina girl I swear Santana would be missing a whole lot of extensions. And what's with the other blonde? She suggested we sing songs from The Little Mermaid."

"That's Brittany, she's... different." Rachel said slowly, the girl was never outwardly mean.

"By different you mean special like special ed special right?"

"So have you guys managed to do anything?" Rachel asked carefully lining the blocks in a straight line, her group were ready to perform and it had taken minimal effort to convince the other boys of the song's suitability.

"Apparently we must all wear red dresses and leave our hair down." Indi recited rolling her eyes. "I think they decided on some Britney Spears song mashed up with some other equally shit song."

"Don't give me that look you're the one who insisted we join glee club!" Rachel reminded her.

"As if you aren't secretly enjoying watching them self destruct."

"Aren't you meant to be having a video chat with Jackson right now?" Rachel said changing the subject, she didn't want to admit to the satisfaction she got at the way the club was obviously in trouble.

"Yes I am but don't think this is the end of this conversation, I'll call in Carver if I have to!"

"Say hello to Jackson for me!" Rachel called after her holding back a laugh. "Aunt Indi is so silly, yes she is!"

"You do realize that she can't talk back right?"

Luckily she was sitting otherwise she would have jumped and quite possibly dropped the baby.

"What are you doing here? How did you get in?" She was trying to look past the intruder to see if there were anymore surprises waiting to pop out.

"Indi left the door unlocked behind her."

"Great then you wont need me to escort you out." She gestured towards the door turning to secure Beth in her bouncy seat.

"I need to talk to you."

"And I need you to leave." Rachel replied evenly stepping in front of Beth to protect her.

"Just give me five minutes please?"

"Fine what did you need to talk to me about?" Rachel sat in the big easy chair Beth sitting beside her thoroughly engrossed with her teething ring.

"It's about last year."

"I figured as much, all anybody seems to want to talk about is last year." Rachel mumbled.

"It was memorable."

"What do you want Mercedes?" Rachel asked point blank, her tolerance for people blathering had severely decreased since she had left Ohio.

"I want to know what the hell crawled up your butt." Mercedes grumbled. "Ever since you got back you've been acting like practically everyone in glee is the enemy and set out to make you miserable last year and that wasn't what happened at all."

"So when I returned this year you would characterize your behaviour as welcoming? Because as I recall the second Mr. Schuester suggested that I sing you were quite adamant about not wanting to hear it."

"Perhaps we weren't exactly overjoyed that you were back but you were just as unhappy to see us." Mercedes pointed out.

"That's because I knew what my reception would be!" Rachel exclaimed. "Not one of you have ever tried to include me, from the beginning you hated me. I tried so hard to be your friend and I know that I can be abrasive and conceited but guess what? My whole life the only thing that I have ever received validation for was my singing. It is the one thing in this world that is mine, and I'm the best in there, you're a great singer Mercedes and so is Kurt but I'm better because I want it more."

"That's not fair! We all love glee."

"But if it was taken away your life wouldn't be over. You have friends, other things to help you through the day." Rachel swiped at her eyes cursing her traitorous tear ducts. "I don't, without glee, without singing I'm just the freak in a slushee stained animal sweater."

"You don't need glee to sing Rachel, you uploaded videos to myspace every damn day!"

"Yeah and had them mocked by everyone in the school. I want to know what exactly it was that I did that was so bad to all of you? What was it that I did that was so horrible to everyone? What makes me such a horrible person?" She had managed to get her tears under control by letting the anger overtake her.

"What's going on?"

"Mercedes came over here on her high horse and I asked her why it is she treats me the way that she does, I'm waiting for her answer." Rachel replied evenly staring at Mercedes with a blank look obviously waiting for an answer.

"Would you mind if I call Carver and put him on speaker because I know he's dying to know why too." Indi turned the laptop so that Jackson could see the whole room.

"Do you mind?" Mercedes burst out glaring at Indi and her laptop like they were the intruders.

"Not at all." Indi said sitting down and making herself comfortable. "We're all ears."

"Fine, you want to know why everyone hates you?" Mercedes started. "It's because you think you are so much better than everyone else, you're conceited and bossy and always think your opinions are so much more important than anyone else's."

"So if I am to understand this correctly everybody dislikes me because I stick to my convictions, argue my point and don't fake humility?" Rachel checked blowing on her bangs. "Get over it. I'm constantly annoyed by Puck's vulgar mouth, Kurt's critique of everyone else's fashion and your insistence that we must sing RnB every week. Even Mr. Schuester's bizarre compulsion to rap."

"Wait-"

"No you listen. Everyone has irritating qualities, but the difference between you and me. I don't feel the need to belittle others because of it. I am headstrong and I do know my strengths, what good does acting as though I don't bring?"

"You-"

"You can leave now, you said your piece and I listened. Get out." Rachel turned away and picked Beth up nuzzling her cheek.

"See you at rehearsal tomorrow!" Indi yelled after the girl who was obviously pissed off judging by how hard the door slammed behind her.

"Uh Indi? Hello? Are you even still there?" Jackson asked from the screen.

"Sorry bro but I've got to report for best friend duty."

"I'm in the studio for the next few days but I'll call you when I'm free but not at 3am again."

Indi shook her head and signed off; her brother was an idiot. Of course she didn't need to sit and ponder than, she had a best friend to listen to.

GLEE

Rachel sat in her chair watching as the girls flitted around the front of the room getting ready for their number, the 'boys' had performed yesterday and Ms. Pillsbury had actually cried a little at their rendition of Help!

Indi looked thoroughly bored, she had donned the required red dress and top hat although her red dress was a Carter creation couriered to her at the last minute, all tartan and tulle and so not what the girls had expected. Even the top hat was different with the thick plaid ribbon and fake jewelled bird perched on the brim.

"We're ready Mr Schuester." Quinn called out, the girls now all in place waiting for the band to start to play.

"There's only two types of people in the world
One's that entertain
And the one's that observe
Well baby I'm a put on a show kind of girl
Don't take the backseat, gotta be first."

Santana crooned sauntering across the stage and sending come-hither eyes to the boys. Mercedes easily stepped around her taking the microphone.

"I'm like a ringleader
I call the shots
I'm like a firecracker
I make it hot
When I put on a show."

Mercedes handed off to Quinn who was demure in a sweet heart neckline and trying to play the picture of innocence.

"I feel the adrenaline moving through my veins
Spotlight on me and I'm ready to play
I'm like a performer the dance floor is my stage
Better be ready, I betcha feel the same!"

Indi looked over at Rachel and winked high-fiving Brittany as she pushed Quinn out of the way, a little more roughly than necessary. The music kicked up and the two girls sang together, their voices blending well.

"So come on let me entertain you!
Let me entertain you!"

Tina accepted the hand off from Brittany and walked purposefully across the small stage.

"There's only two types of guys out there
One's that can hang with me
And one's that are scared
So baby I hope that you came prepared
I ran a tight ship
so beware!"

Once again forcefully Indi pushed the leading girl out of the way and air guitared her way across stage, Brittany was head banging, or what Indi had told her she called 'cool epilepsy.'

"So come on let me entertain you!
Let me entertain you!
Come on, come on, come on, come on
Come on, come on, come on, come on!"

The girls all hit the stage together in a perfectly choreographed routine. Rachel bit back the laugh at how much she knew Indi was hating this, she despised Britney Spears, the moves were great, very fluid, Brittany was obviously the choreographer.

"All eyes on me in the centre of the ring
Just like a circus"

The four lead girls sang together squaring off against Indi and Brittany.

"Let me entertain you!"

"Just like a circus!"

"Entertain you!"

The music stopped rather dramatically and the girls all looked down signaling the end of their song.

"All right! Let's hear it for the girls!" Mr. Schuester applauded enthusiastically glancing over at his favourite red head who was scribbling away on a notepad.

"We've so got this." Artie murmured to Rachel hitting her legs with his wheels, she admonished him with a small smile but she agreed. The girls were polished but there was no real heart in it.

"Hi kids." Ms Pillsbury greeted blushing s furious shade of red not too dissimilar to her hair. "I want to thank you both for preparing such great performances for me but there can only be one winner and the winner of the second annual boys vs girls competition is... the boys!"

Puck and Mike pumped fists and Finn smiled crookedly at Rachel who granted him a small grin.

"So what did we win?" Kurt spoke up, he really hoped they hadn't won some kind of bonding experience.

"As winners of the competition you will have the honor of selecting who will sing the duet at Sectionals!" Mr Schuester smiled widely rubbing his hands together, part 2 of the plan. "You can tell us your decision tomorrow."

The girls disgruntled by their loss stalked off to change out of their costumes leaving the boys plus Rachel and Indi in the choir room.

"So how should we do this?" Kurt asked. "I think the fairest way is to each write down the name of the boy and girl you think deserve the duet and then we can count the votes."

"That sounds fair." Artie agreed reaching into his backpack for his notebook carefully ripping a page into six not so equal pieces. The scraps were handed out and Indi offered her top hat for them to be thrown in.

"Cough 'em up!" Indi sang lightly waiting for each person to toss their scrap of paper into her hat. "So should I tally them by myself or just read them out?"

"Read them out." Puck said. "That's the only fair way."

"I feel like I'm on Survivor." She mumbled pulling the first scrap from the pile, she recognized Rachel's handwriting and mock glared at her.

"Indi and Artie."

"Rachel and Finn."

"Rachel and Finn."

"Kurt and Mercedes."

"Rachel and Finn."

Rachel scowled openly at Artie, she recognized his handwriting as well as Puck's.

"There's one left but it doesn't matter since Rachel and Finn have already won." Kurt noted sourly. "I take it you two both nominated yourselves?"

"No as a matter of fact I didn't although I have a hard time believing that you weren't the one who nominated yourself and Mercedes." Rachel retorted. "Personally I would rather not sing the duet at Sectionals."

"But you have to, no one else even comes close to having the kind of chemistry on stage that you and Finn have." Mike protested blushing slightly, so much for anonymous vote.

"Yeah shut it Hummel you know that my boy Finn here and Berry are the only two who could do it." Puck agreed.

"Told you I didn't nominate myself." Rachel poked her tongue out at Kurt who was glaring at the two boys like they were traitors.

"Ah girls, just in time to hear who are lucky duet partners will be." Mr Schuester's voice broke up the tension.

"Representing us at Sectionals will be Finn." Artie paused for dramatic effect, he had been hanging out with Rachel Berry after all. "And Rachel."

"That's so unfair!"

"They probably rigged the contest for themselves!"

The protests were loud and all overlapping, Mr Schuester's arms were probably going to be tired from trying to wave them down.

"They won fair and square, go home and get some rest because next week will be a challenge."

"I so don't like the sound of that." Mercedes opined picking up her bag.

"Me either." Quinn agreed. "But we can't let it bug us we've got a slumber party to look forward to."

Quinn made sure to raise her voice enough so that Rachel could pointedly hear.

"Don't be late, I can't promise they'll still be any ice cream left." Mercedes laughed back. "Come on Kurt you promised you'd help set up."

"Do you think they wanted us to know we weren't invited?" Indi asked sarcastically rolling her eyes.

"Maybe." Rachel answered playfully. "I can't say the idea of sleeping on someone's floor and neglecting my sleep routine appeals to me."

"That's because your crazy." Indi told her seriously. "Let's go Rachey, I believe you promised Carver we would skype him tonight and give our opinion on his project."

"We should hurry, the last time we were late he called my phone every three minutes until we were in front of the computer." Rachel giggled. "Bye."

"She said goodbye, that's a good sign right?" Artie asked running his wheels into Finn's toes, damn huge feet. Finn shrugged but there was no denying the boyish grin on his face.

GLEE

Our mystery returnee makes his/her appearance in the next chapter! Anyone else want to just shakes Ryan Murphy for all of a sudden reverting Finn to his doofus season 1 self? He was never in love with Quinn. Why is her lying and sleeping with Puck somehow forgivable but Rachel's jealous/hurt/anger fueled lapse in judgment evil? Makes no sense dude.

Here's my thoughts:

Finn somehow thinks that the reason things didn't work out with Rachel because he wasn't over Quinn. He can forgive Quinn for sleeping with Puck and lying to him. He can forgive this because it didn't hurt as much BECAUSE HE NEVER LOVED HER!

Finn can't forgive Rachel because he loves her and that's why it hurt so much. DU'H!