Chapter Ten: The National Failure
Rachel laid her head on Blaine's stomach, tracing her fingertips around his hand. "We're leaving for New York tomorrow." Rachel murmured, bringing his hand to her lips to kiss his hand lovingly.
"I know." Blaine whispered.
Rachel sighed and looked over at him. "I wish you could come, I really do."
"I wish I could too, Rach." Blaine ran his fingers through her hair, smiling softly.
Rachel sighed, laying her head back on top of his tummy. "Maybe Brittany's right." Rachel said softly as Blaine took her hand, rubbing her knuckles softly.
"Right about what, baby?"
Rachel glanced at him. "Maybe about. . .finally. . .telling people." She bit her lip, gently squeezing his hand.
Blaine looked down at her, an eyebrow raised. "Excuse me?"
". . .Would it be a bad thing if we suddenly just. . .walked down the streets of Lima, Ohio, holding hands and having public displays of affection?" Rachel asked in a rush.
"Rachel, you know that we can't just. . .walk down the street, holding hands. It would be. . .like walking to our own deaths with Finn and Kurt in this town." Blaine muttered.
Rachel sighed, sitting up on her bed. The movie that had been playing had simply become background noise.
"Kurt told me that he and Finn and Burt and Carol are going on a trip this summer. So we have a little while without -" Blaine's phone bleeped, making her roll her eyes. "Without having to be interrupted by that."
Blaine chuckled softly, picking up his phone. "It's actually my mom. I have to go. Bye Rach." Blaine leaned down and kissed her deeply, than climbed out the window, leaving her house swiftly.
Rachel ran her hands through her hair, sighing and continued to pack for New York.
*.*.*.*.*
"What do you want?"
"I know."
"Know about what Puckerman?" Blaine asked annoyed.
"About you and Rachel!"
"Shut up Puck!" Blaine whisper-yelled.
"Dude, we're in a grocery store. Who would be here?" Noah asked.
"Why even are you here?" Blaine asked, picking up the ice cream his brother wanted.
"I know about you and Rachel." Noah said simply, putting his hands in his pockets.
"Okay. . .that doesn't really. . ."
Noah rolled his eyes. "I know that she wants you to come to New York. So. . .here." Noah handed him an envelope. Blaine raised an eyebrow and opened it.
Inside, was a plane ticket.
"It's coach, you fly in the day after we do and leave the day before Nationals. We are there four days."
Blaine was speechless. He stared at the ticket. "How. . .how did you get this?"
Noah shrugged. "I have a pool cleaning business and well, Rachel's like, my right hand. . .woman. She's the only other Jew I can tolerate. She deserves to be happy with how hard she works. She may be a pain in the ass, but. . .she's not worth losing."
Blaine grinned. "I know. Thank you Puck. Maybe you're not all bad."
"Hey, I can be. . .compassionate. I think that's the word. . ." Noah said, rubbing the back of his neck.
"Yes, it's the word. Thank you. Really."
"No problem."
*.*.*.*.*
She took in all the sights, all the people, all the lights. She stole a look at everything. She was where she was meant to be.
Rachel Berry was in New York City. . .
"I made it."
*.*.*.*.*
"Hey, can I try something out on you guys?" Finn asked, turning around in the swirly chair and looking at Mike, Noah, Artie and Sam. "I think one of our songs should be a duet between me and Rachel."
"I just want to win. We all know that you two doing a duet is our best shot at that." Mike said, throwing a paper airplane at Finn, who was grinning.
"Awesome."
"Okay. . .can we just talk about the huge Jewish elephant in the room?" Noah said, placing his arm behind his head. "What's up with you and Rach, Finn? You've been pushing this duet for weeks."
"Since when does Puck call Rachel, Rach?" Sam whispered to Artie, who shrugged.
Finn shrugged. "I don't know, I just think that we need to win."
"Dude, I'm not going to tell you to ask her out. But make up your mind. Do you like her?"
Finn nodded.
"Do you love her?" Oh, you have no idea how much Noah wished it was a no.
"Maybe. . .it's possible."
"Then. . .do something. We're in the city of love." Mike said, folding another piece of paper into an airplane.
"I thought that was Paris." Sam said through a mouthful of chips.
"Whatever. Go for it, dude." Mike said and when Finn wasn't looking, Noah kicked his shin hard.
"You know, if I wasn't homeless and was in love with a girl, I'd totally go for it." Sam said, eating the last bit of his chips.
"You're right."
*.*.*.*.*
Meanwhile, Blaine's plane had landed at two in the afternoon. He made his way out of the airport, with a printed out map of New York City, provided by Noah. He knew the name of their hotel and his own hotel was a block away from it. His parents, who had gone anyway on vacation, knew nothing about this trip and it was costing Blaine quite a bit to keep his brother quiet.
Blaine was careful to make sure none of the glee kids were in the lobby when he walked in their hotel. He walked up to the desk.
The way too perky lady said, "Hello, how are you today? What can I do for you?"
"Hi. I'm terrific."
"Well that's good!" The lady interrupted. Blaine noticed her name was Lisa.
"Yes, it is. Now, can I please know what room Rachel Berry is?"
"Hmm. . .is she one of the choir kids?" Lisa asked.
"Yes, she is. The New Directions."
"Did you know that when you say that slow, it sounds like 'nude erections'?" Lisa said, completely serious.
Blaine stared at her. "You're not going to be any help." He muttered and walked out.
Rach, what room are you in?
Less than a minute later, her reply came.
Room 103. Why?
Blaine grinned and walked outside, standing below the third window on the second floor.
Because you need to look out you're window.
In a split second, Rachel's face was in the window. Her face broke out into a grin the minute she saw him and he waved obnoxiously. Rachel almost laughed, because Lauren, Tina and Mercedes were in the room along with the others.
"Rachel. . .Rachel!" Mercedes yelled. Rachel's head snapped back to Mercedes.
"What?"
"Lauren, Tina and I are going to go down to the little gift shop downstairs. We'll be back later."
"Okay." Rachel said.
"That was easy. . ." Lauren muttered as they left.
"Rachel, why are you so happy?" Quinn asked suspiciously.
"And why are you putting your hat on?" Santana asked with a raised eyebrow.
"And your jacket?" Brittany asked.
"Look out the window." Rachel ordered. Quinn looked out the window and saw Blaine waiting patiently.
"Oh. . .I get it."
"What?" Santana said, walking to the window. "Berry, you got him to follow you all the way here?" She demanded.
"I don't know how he got here! He just asked me what room I was in and I told him and then he said look out your window. There he was!" Rachel smiled, smiling widely though.
Santana let out a low whistle. "Wow. . .he loves you alright!"
Rachel smiled widely, buckling her little shoes. "Have fun girls. I'm off to have the best date of my life."
Brittany laughed as she closed the door to their room and practically skipped down the hallway to the elevators.
Once she was down on the ground floor, she ran out the building and hugged Blaine tightly.
"How did you. . .?"
"Long story. Not enough time. Come on. We're going to have lunch at the fanciest restaurant I can afford while still having to keep my brother quiet about all this." Blaine said in a rush, dragging Rachel two streets over.
"Ta-da!"
Rachel smiled and giggled. He looked so proud about all of this. Coming to New York, seeing her and taking her out to dinner.
Blaine walked the two into the fancy restaurant and maneuvered them to the table he had reserved.
"I still don't know how you managed all of this Blaine. It's so. . .fancy and I know that it's really expensive and -"
"Rach, calm down. I'm doing this for you. For us." He reached across the table and took her hand softly. Rachel smiled and looked over at him, then down at the menu.
"Sardi's. . .Sardi's! I can't believe I'm here! The birthplace of the Tony's. One day, my picture will be on these walls." Rachel said, changing the subject.
"I love how you dream so big Rach. It's. . .you." Blaine said, smiling and looking at her. "And you look so beautiful tonight." Rachel smiled softly and he leaned across the table a bit to kiss her.
"Oh my God." Rachel whispered, pulling away from him quickly.
"What?"
"That's Patti LuPone." Rachel continued whispering, staring at Patti get up from her seat. "Oh no, I can't do this! But if not for me, then for Kurt, right?" Blaine looked at her blankly. "I mean, he'd kill me if I didn't. . ."
"I can think of other reasons why he would kill you." Blaine mumbled and Rachel swiftly kicked his shin and stood up.
"Uhm, excuse me, Miss LuPone?" Patti stopped abruptly in front of her. "I just have to say that you're my idol." Rachel said, her voice shaking a bit.
Patti smiled. "Why, thank you. That's very sweet of you. Are you an actress?"
"Yes, well, I'm in high school." Rachel said.
"We're in town for the National Show Choir Championship." Blaine said, nodding.
"I was in choir in high school." Patti looked back at Rachel. "It was my favorite class. What's your name?"
"Rachel Berry."
"Well, Rachel Berry, I need you to promise me one thing. Never give up."
"Yes Miss LuPone, I promise."
"Hmm. Good luck." Patti shook Rachel's hand and then Blaine's.
Patti looked at Rachel seriously and whispered, "He's cute."
Rachel nodded and smiled. "I know," she whispered back.
Patti smiled on last time and left.
Rachel let out a breath she didn't know she was holding and looked at Blaine, who was smiling widely. Rachel sat down and laughed, hiding her face with her hands.
The two left the restaurant and walked the streets of New York quietly.
"When do you have to go back Blaine?" Rachel asked softly, laying her head on his shoulder as they walked.
"Tomorrow morning at 10." Blaine murmured back, wrapping his arm around her.
Rachel sighed. "I don't want you to go."
Blaine nodded. "I know. Neither do I."
"Finn loves me." Rachel said softly.
"Kurt loves me." Blaine whispered. "How did you find out?"
"Noah told me. He knows."
"He got me here."
"Oh. . ."
"I love you Rach."
"I love you too Blaine."
"And this is the moment where I lean down and kiss you, so. . ."
He moved her in front of him and kissed her softly, then passionately. Rachel wrapped her arms around his neck tightly, pulling him towards her and smiled into the kiss. Far too soon, Blaine broke it off.
"I have to go Rach."
She nodded, looking down. "I love you. Goodbye Blaine."
Blaine kissed her forehead. "I love you too. Bye Rach."
*.*.*.*.*
"Kurt, I have a secret to tell you." Rachel said, biting her lip.
He looked at her, eyebrows raised.
I'm dating Blaine behind your back.
"I'm coming back here after high school. I belong here. I don't belong in Lima."
Kurt nodded, "I'm so coming with you."
No, you're not. Blaine is coming with me.
"That's great. But I think Finn wants to get back together with me."
"Hmm. . .what do you think about that?"
Well, I do not love him, I love Blaine. Kurt, you are my best friend, but I love him. And I'm going to do what I love.
"I can't choose between my career and love. I don't know what to do."
"Rachel, you are going to do whatever you feel is right. You don't love Finn. I know that. But you love performing and singing and all that jazz." Kurt smiled and took her hand. "Come with me."
You forgot one thing Kurt. I love Blaine. I love him with everything I have.
*.*.*.*.*
The last note of Pretending finished. The rest of New Directions were standing behind Finn and Rachel, not facing them. Finn wanted to kiss Rachel. So badly. She looked at him, too frozen to move and hardly breathing.
He leaned down. She stayed still. He leaned farther. He was inches away. Noah and Quinn glanced at each other and then back at Finn and Rachel. Santana looked at Brittany. Brittany mouthed, "I love you." Santana mouthed, "I love you too."
Finn was millimeters away when Rachel said, "I can't." And backed away, going to her position for Light Up the World. Finn backed away slowly, going to his spot. Quinn breathed a sigh of relief when Rachel appeared next to her.
"You didn't?" Quinn whispered.
Rachel shook her head, saying no, she did not kiss him.
"Hey hey hey, you! And me! Keep on dancing in the dark, it's been tearing me apart, never knowing what we are. Hey hey hey, you! And me! Keep on trying to play it cool, now it's time to make a move and that's what I'm gonna do." Santana sang.
"Lay it all down. . ." Artie sang.
"Got something to say?" Brittany sang.
"Lay it all down. . ."
"Throw your doubt away!"
"Do or die now. . ." "Step on to the plate."
"Blow the door wide open like up up and away." Brittany and Artie sang together.
"Let's light up the world tonigh-igh-ight. You gotta give up the bark and bi-i-ite. I know that we got the love, alrigh-igh-ight. Come on and ligh-ligh-light it up. Light it up tonight. Let's light up the world tonigh-igh-ight. You gotta give up the bark and bi-i-ite. I know that we got the love, alrigh-igh-ight. Come on and ligh-ligh-light it up. Light it up tonight." Everyone sang together and the crowd jumped to their feet.
"Hey hey hey, you! And me! Turn it up 10,000 watts. Tell me why we gotta stop, I just wanna let it rock." Finn sang.
"Hey hey hey, you! And me! Keep on staring at the road, like we don't know where to go, step back, let me take control." Tina and Artie sang together.
"Lay it all down. . ." Artie sang alone.
"Got something to say?" Brittany said, looking over at Santana, who was beaming at her.
"Lay it all down. . ."
"Throw your doubt away."
"Do or die now. . ."
"Step on to the plate."
"Blow the door wide open like up up and away." Artie and Brittany sang together.
"Let's light up the world tonigh-igh-ight. You gotta give up the bark and bi-i-ite. I know that we got the love, alrigh-igh-ight. Come on and ligh-ligh-light it up. Light it up tonight. Let's light up the world tonigh-igh-ight. You gotta give up the bark and bi-i-ite. I know that we got the love, alrigh-igh-ight. Come on and ligh-ligh-light it up. Light it up tonight."
"Hey hey hey you! Hey hey hey you! Hey hey hey you! Hey hey hey you you you you you!" Finn yelled.
"Lay it all down. . .got something to say? Lay it all down. . .throw your doubt away. Do or die now. . .step on to the plate. Blow the door wide open like up up and away!" Rachel sang loudly,
"Let's light up the world tonigh-igh-ight. You gotta give up the bark and bi-i-ite. I know that we got the love, alrigh-igh-ight. Come on and ligh-ligh-light it up. Light it up tonight. Let's light up the world tonigh-igh-ight. You gotta give up the barkand bi-i-ite. I know that we got the love, alrigh-igh-ight. Come on and ligh-ligh-light it up. Light it up tonight."
"Let's light up the world tonigh-igh-ight. You gotta give up the bark and bi-i-ite. I know that we got the love, alrigh-igh-ight. Come on and ligh-ligh-light it up. Light it up tonight." For some reason, Rachel sang extra loudly during the last part of the song. Maybe because she knew that she didn't have to decide between what she loved and who she loved. She loved them for the same reason. Because she and Blaine, she and performing, it was meant to be.
*.*.*.*.*
"Yeah, we did lose." Rachel said, looking down at her plastic coffee cup.
"Awh, Rach, I'm sorry." Blaine said, reaching across the small table to her hand and rubbed his thumb over her knuckles softly.
Rachel shook her head. "No, I mean, don't be sorry. But the ride back to the hotel was dead silent. And then when we got back to the hotel, Santana started ranting and screaming in Spanish the only Brittany understood and I don't want to know how."
"And the ride home?"
"Completely silent. Hardly anyone talked."
Blaine let out a low whistle. "Wow. . ."
Rachel shrugged. "But, I've still had a pretty good year."
"Oh really?" Blaine asked, raising an eyebrow and taking a sip of his drink.
Rachel smiled and laid her chin on the palm of her hand.
"Hey guys."
It was Mercedes and Sam.
"Oh, hey guys, what are you two doing here?" Rachel asked.
"We ran into each other in the parking lot. Decided to get coffee." Sam said, shrugging.
"Cool guys."
"Bye." Mercedes waved and the two walked by them.
"They didn't even question us. . ." Rachel muttered.
"So you think they know?" Blaine asked.
Rachel shook her head. "No. Mercedes doesn't know. She would be crazy if she did."
Over with Sam and Mercedes, they were whispering. "You think they know?" Mercedes asked, biting her lip.
"Mercy, I don't think anyone knows." Sam whispered back, taking her hand and lacing their fingers together, smiling.