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Chapter 10: Showtime
"Our next competitors, from McKinley High School in Lima, Ohio, the New Directions!"
Rachel gulped as she and Finn waited to enter the stage. She looked at Finn. "Break a leg," she said.
"I love you," Finn said.
Rachel got the biggest smile on her face. This was the same conversation they'd had before Regionals last year - and it was just as meaningful.
The music began and she and Finn entered the stage.
Finn: I could stay awake just to hear you breathing
Watch you smile while you are sleeping
While you're far away and dreaming
Rachel: I could spend my life in this sweet surrender
I could stay lost in this moment forever
Where every moment spent with you is a moment I treasure
Both: I don't wanna close my eyes, I don't wanna fall asleep
'Cause I'd miss you baby and I don't wanna miss a thing
'Cause even when I dream of you the sweetest dream would never do
I'd still miss you baby and I don't want to miss a thing
Finn: Lying close to you feeling your heart beating
And I'm wondering what you're dreaming
Wondering if it's me you're seeing
Rachel: Then I kiss your eyes and thank God we're together
I just wanna stay with you in this moment forever, forever and ever
Both: I don't wanna close my eyes, I don't wanna fall asleep
'Cause I'd miss you baby and I don't wanna miss a thing
'Cause even when I dream of you the sweetest dream would never do
I'd still miss you baby and I don't want to miss a thing
Finn: I don't wanna miss one smile, I don't wanna miss one kiss
Rachel: I just wanna be with you, right here with you, just like this
Finn: I just want to hold you close, feel your heart so close to mine
And just stay here in this moment for all the rest of time
Both: I don't wanna close my eyes, don't wanna fall asleep
'Cause I'd miss you baby and I don't wanna miss a thing
'Cause even when I dream of you the sweetest dream would never do
I'd still miss you baby and I don't want to miss a thing
I don't wanna close my eyes, I don't wanna fall asleep
'Cause I'd miss you baby and I don't wanna miss a thing
'Cause even when I dream of you the sweetest dream would never do
I'd still miss you baby and I don't want to miss a thing
I don't wanna close my eyes, I don't wanna fall asleep
Yeah, I don't wanna miss a thing
The audience were on their feet when Finn and Rachel finished their song. Rachel couldn't help but pull Finn in for a hug. He offered her his hand as they walked up to join the rest of the group. Several of their teammates smiled at them, high-fived them or gave them thumbs up.
Then the music for their second song began.
Finn: Sun coming up over New York City
School bus driver in a traffic jam
Rachel: Starin' at the faces in her rearview mirror
Looking at the promise of the Promised Land
Sam: One kid dreams of fame and fortune
One kid helps pay the rent
Quinn: One could end up going to prison
One just might be president
New Directions: Only in America
Dreaming in red, white and blue
Only in America
Where we dream as big as we want to
We all get a chance
Everybody gets to dance
Only in America
Puck: Sun going down on an La. freeway
Newlyweds in the back of a limousine
Mercedes: A welder's son and a banker's daughter
All they want is everything
Artie: She came out here to be an actress
He was the singer in a band
Tina: They just might go back to Oklahoma
And talk about the stars they could have been
New Directions: Only in America
Where we dream in red, white and blue
Only in America
Where we dream as big as we want to
We all get a chance
Everybody gets to dance
Only in America
Yeah only in America
Kurt: Only in America
Where we dream in red, white and blue
Blaine: Only in America
Where we dream as big as we want to
Brittany: We all get a chance
Santana: Everybody gets to dance
Lauren: Only in America
Mike: Yeah only in America
Where we dream in red, white and blue
New Directions: Yeah we dream as big as we want to
They closed the number by throwing slushees of red, white and blue confetti on to the audience. Again, the audience was cheering so loudly, they could hardly hear the music beginning for their final song.
New Directions: Five hundred twenty-five thousand
Six hundred minutes,
Five hundred twenty-five thousand
Moments so dear.
Five hundred twenty-five thousand
Six hundred minutes
How do you measure, measure a year?
In daylights, in sunsets, in midnights
In cups of coffee
In inches, in miles, in laughter, in strife.
In five hundred twenty-five thousand
Six hundred minutes
How do you measure
A year in the life?
How about love?
How about love?
How about love? Measure in love
Seasons of love. Seasons of love
Kurt: Five hundred twenty-five thousand
Six hundred minutes!
Five hundred twenty-five thousand
Journeys to plan.
Five hundred twenty-five thousand
Six hundred minutes
How do you measure the life
Of a woman or a man?
Blaine: In truths that she learned,
Or in times that he cried.
In bridges he burned,
Or the way that she died.
New Directions: It's time now to sing out,
Tho' the story never ends
Let's celebrate
Remember a year in the life of friends
Remember the love!
Remember the love!
Seasons of love!
Mercedes: Oh you got to got to
Remember the love!
You know that love is a gift from up above
Share love, give love spread love
Measure measure your life in love.
After a loud round of applause, Rachel threw her arms around Finn and squeezed him as tight as she could. The crowd was on its feet.
The group went backstage. "That was awesome!" Mr. Schue said as he high-fived the kids. "I am so proud of you guys!"
"We killed it!" Mike declared.
"That was awesome!" Sam said.
"We've got a top three finish!" Tina cried.
As New Directions headed down the stairs, Vocal Adrenaline headed up. Jesse glared at Rachel and shoved her down the stairs.
Rachel toppled to the bottom of the stairs and bumped into Mercedes on the way down, who clutched the railing just in time. When Rachel reached the bottom, she tried to stand, but when she tried, it felt like all the weight in the world was on her left ankle.
"What the hell happened?" Blaine asked, seeing Rachel struggling to get up.
"Jesse pushed me," Rachel said.
"JESSE ST. JAMES!" Mr. Schue thundered. Jesse turned.
"I just bumped into her," Jesse said with a smirk before going to join the Vocal Adrenaline kids.
The members of New Directions circled around Rachel.
"You okay, Rachel?" Sam asked.
"I can't get up," Rachel said. She felt tears coming to her eyes, but just couldn't cry. "My left ankle really, really hurts."
"Oh my God." Finn ran over to Rachel and touched her ankle. "How'd that feel?"
"That hurt for you to just touch it," Rachel admitted.
"Take off your tights so we can see how bad it looks," Ms. Holliday said.
Rachel pulled off her tights. Her ankle was completely black and blue.
"Rach, you need to get it looked at," Finn said. "It's swelling a lot. From what you've said and from looking at it, I think it might be broken."
"I'll go to the hospital after results come in," Rachel said. "I want to wait to see how we do."
"Rachel Berry, your ankle looks swollen. Very swollen. I'm going to call an ambulance," Mr. Schue said.
"Really, Mr. Schue?" Rachel said. "I think it can wait until after results come in."
"Rachel, results aren't due for another three hours," Mr. Schue said. "I agree with Finn, I think it might be broken. If you get to the hospital now, you might get back in time for results. Kurt, call an ambulance. Holly, will you go along with her?"
"Of course," Ms. Holliday said.
"Can Finn come too?" Rachel asked.
"Yeah, of course he can," Mr. Schue said.
"I'm gonna kick Jesse's ass!" Puck shouted as he began to ran. Sam and Mike grabbed him.
"Wait until after the competition," said Finn. "If we engage in any roughhousing, we'll get disqualified."
"Finn's right," Artie said. "No one should even say anything to Jesse."
Five minutes later, the ambulance had arrived. Finn hoisted Rachel on the stretcher. Rachel, Finn and Ms. Holliday were boarding the ambulance when they heard someone call out.
"Wait! Mr. Schue, is it okay if I go with them, too?"