Author's note: Cyber hugs for everyone! *HUGS* Your reviews and alerts always put a smile on my face. I'm glad y'all liked Blaine's mom, yea she's something alright. xD
I know you're curious as to what's on the CD, I hope it lives up to it's expectations!
Eep! Enjoy Lovelies!
Again, no beta. All mistakes are my own.
Disclaimer: I own nothing, nothing, nothing. No profit made etc. See Chapter 1 for more elaborate disclaimer.
~C.
(Chapter 12)
Wes, David, and Thad all calmed down the Warblers in the Dalton common room. The elected upperclassmen hadn't told anyone what the emergency meeting was about, so understandably they were all antsy.
"Is it because we won our Sectionals?" Nick inquired.
Jeff cut in. "Is it because New Directions won Sectionals too?"
Trent raised his hand. "I know; it's because we tied at Sectionals, right?"
Wes banged his gavel, "This meeting will come to order. To answer all of your questions, no, this meeting is not about our tie win with New Directions. We are going to start preparing for Regionals as soon as possible, yes, but this emergency meeting was not called by Thad, David, or Myself."
That caused the Warblers to turn to one another and murmur questioningly. When Wes was about to bang his gavel again, Blaine held up his hand and stood up. "I called this meeting fellow Warblers."
The murmurs stopped and they all shifted in their seats to face Blaine.
"First off, we were outstanding at Sectionals. I am really proud of each and every one of us. I am also honored that you've put your trust in me to get us all the way to Nationals." Blaine looked anxiously towards David for support, who in turn gave Blaine a thumbs up.
Blaine cleared his throat, "Listen, I understand that we have already officially begun our competition season. Normally, I wouldn't ask for special consideration, but I think we should consider allowing someone to join the Warblers."
That sparked a lot of interest in the crowd. Huffing and shouts of negativity towards bending tradition erupted in the room. Blaine even vaguely heard someone call this a 'Kangaroo Court.' The hell was that suppose to mean?
Blaine said more forcefully, "Point of order! Point of order!" That got everyone to stop in their tracks, they settled back down begrudgingly. "Warbler tradition states that each and every person who tries out for Glee Club gets equal consideration. It is not clearly stated that once competition season has began that no more potential Warblers are to be considered. It was merely assumed. Am I right, Thad?"
Thad rolled his eyes; he honestly didn't care which way or the other. "We upperclassmen went through the Warbler Tradition handbook and found no rule barring any person from trying out at a specific time. This is…technically…not against tradition, but like Warbler Blaine has said, it was just assumed."
Blaine brightened at that. Some of the Warblers looked wary about the whole thing, but then there were some who just shrugged in a cooperative manner. "Thanks everyone. Now, this person is REALLY shy. Like…like…turtle shy!"
Jeff tilted his head, "What do you mean turtle shy?"
Blaine thought for a moment, "Like if a leaf floats by too close for comfort, then he just…whoosh…recedes back into his shell, all skittish." Blaine pulled his arms in and crouched a little bit, like he receded into an imaginary shell. "His audition won't even be in person, it's a recording on a CD…I think."
The Warblers looked at each other speculatively. Nick raised an eyebrow, "And he wants to sing in front of hundreds of people when he can't even do it in front of us?"
Blaine sighed, "I know it's unorthodox, but just give him a chance. I'm sure he's great."
Trent scrunched up his face confused, "You haven't even heard him sing?!"
That got Blaine to cover his head with his hands. He was getting really frustrated. Thankfully Wes started banging his gavel. The one and only time he was thankful for that sound.
"Wes and Thad, as have I, already watched the audition. Warbler tradition states that each member gets a say on whether or not the person is let in. Blaine has not watched it because he is not an upperclassman. He is going to watch it for the first time along with the rest of you. The boy's name is Kurt, Kurt Hummel; he is a new transfer student from McKinley High School." David said.
Wes raised his gavel in warning when he noticed some Warblers looking agitated by the fact that he used to go to their competition's school.
David continued regardless, "We have an audition to watch everyone; I expect fair consideration when watching this. Understood?"
When they all nodded, some more enthusiastic than others, the underclassmen got comfortable in their seats. David pulled out his laptop and opened it towards the common room. Wes pulled out the CD and proceeded to put it into the laptop. Blaine's knee was jumping anxiously as he waited for the CD to play. This would be the first time he hears Kurt sing. Well, not in person, but he'd take what he could get at the moment.
The screen went from David's desktop picture of the Dalton Academy logo to Rachel pulling Kurt down onto a piano bench seat next to her. He looked absolutely petrified and Rachel was discreetly moving her hand away from the computer they were looking at. She must have pressed record when Kurt wasn't looking. Wait, so Kurt wasn't aware of this recording? Blaine's triangular eyebrows rose at that and he leaned forward in his seat to give his complete, undivided attention.
Kurt stared at the screen speculatively. "I…I don't know about this Rachel. It seems sort of…"
"Brilliant?" she chirped.
"Awkward." Kurt deadpanned.
"Nonsense." Rachel waved a hand dismissively at him. "It's just like singing into a mirror, which we don't have at the moment, so this will have to do. Don't you love how versatile a webcam is?"
Kurt made a grimace at her, "No, I don't. You're not recording this, are you?!"
Rachel put on an innocent expression. "Nope."
They stared at each other with unwavering eyes until Rachel rolled her own and broke the silence, "Look, you want to try out for the Warblers, right?"
Still looking a bit cautious, Kurt nodded slowly at her. "All right, then this is about you. It needs to be personal. Do you ever fantasize about your own funeral?"
Kurt looked at her like she was insane, "No."
"I do!" Rachel said proudly, "Finn throwing himself into the grave out of grief, all the heartfelt speeches, and the regrets."
Kurt might have scooted a bit away from her after that revelation. He muttered something along the lines of, 'That's insane.'
"Clearly no one in Glee Club appreciates me." Rachel said with unhidden frustration. "Is it so wrong for me to fantasize about them finally realizing how amazing I am, but it being too late? And…there's only one song that expresses those feelings." Rachel started searching through the iPod Kurt had plugged into his mobile iHome. "I'm sure that it's here somewhere."
When Kurt saw the selection he rolled his eyes, "I thought this was about my audition."
That seemed to jolt Rachel out of her self-obsessed bubble. She tilted her head in consideration before asking, "Right, right. Sorry, rough week." She made a pout at him and Kurt chuckled in an annoyed but fond way. "So, back to you. What song were you thinking of auditioning with?"
Kurt seemed to blush at the question. He shrugged and proceeded to show her several songs on his iPod. Rachel just seemed bored with them until Kurt came across one that caught her interest. "That one. This is the one."
Kurt looked at her and bit his lip hesitantly, "Are you sure?"
She nodded confidently, "Definitely. Now come on, you need to practice before your audition." She scooted down and pulled Kurt over so he was the only one in front of the screen.
He looked at the screen, that had a picture of himself looking back no doubt, and gulped. "Rachel…I'm really not comfortable…"
Off camera Rachel scoffed, "Didn't you ask me for tips? Didn't you say I continuously kill ballads?"
Kurt frowned and shuffled uncomfortably in his seat, "Yes…"
"Then trust me. I do this all the time and it made me all the better because of it. So just…let the music flow through you. Singing is all about self-expression. Let yourself go, be expressive! You know you don't do enough of it." She chuckled somewhere off screen.
Kurt looked like he was about to protest again, but then the slow music started. While it did that, he took a deep breath to calm himself. Then he opened his glasz eyes and stared at the webcam, still unaware of it's secret recording.
Look at me
You may think you see
Who I really am
But you'll never know me
Every day
It's as if I play a part
Now I see
If I wear a mask
I can fool the world
But I cannot fool my heart
Kurt glanced at Rachel with a skittish look on his face. Whatever Rachel did seemed to get him to relax because then Kurt sat up straighter and a small smile appeared on his flawless face when he looked back at the laptop.
Who is that girl I see
Staring straight back at me?
When will my reflection show
Who I am inside?
Kurt's eyebrows furrowed together as he sang the song, as if he just realized how meaningful the lyrics were to him.
I am now
In a world where I
Have to hide my heart
And what I believe in
But somehow
I will show the world
What's inside my heart
And be loved for who I am
Kurt's unique eyes started to show signs of a quiet fire burning behind them. It looked as if he was making a promise to himself, but what that promise entailed was uncertain.
Who is that girl I see
Staring straight back at me?
Why is my reflection
Someone I don't know?
Must I pretend that I'm
Someone else for all time?
When will my reflection show
Who I am inside?
By this point, Kurt had let all reservations fly out the window and he was belting out the lyrics with a renewed fervor.
There's a heart that must be
Free to fly
That burns with a need to know
The reason why
Kurt had his eyes closed and hands clenched into fists by his shoulders as he sang the verse with immense passion.
Why must we all conceal
What we think, how we feel?
Must there be a secret me
I'm forced to hide?
I won't pretend that I'm
Someone else for all time
When will my reflection show
Who I am inside?
When will my reflection show
Who I am inside?
As the song died out, Kurt was breathing heavily through his nose and looking very intensely at himself on the screen. Suddenly he said, "I have to go. Thanks for everything Rachel, but I really have to go."
Rachel could be heard shouting for Kurt to come back or what was wrong and to make sure he sang like that at his audition. However, when Rachel came back on screen, she was alone. "Good luck, Kurt."
Just then the CD ended and everyone was silent in the common room. David closed the laptop and folded his hands over it, "So, who is opposed to Kurt Hummel joining the Warblers?"
Everyone looked around hesitantly, but when Thad raised his hand, some of the lowerclassmen raised theirs in turn.
Wes cleared his throat, "Who is in favor of Kurt Hummel joining?" All eyes turned to Blaine; he had been staring at the closed laptop without having said a word. His eyes were sympathetic; it was obvious to everyone how fond Blaine was of this Kurt boy.
Then out of nowhere, he stood up and raised his hand, "I for one, would be proud to call Kurt a fellow Warbler." He looked around the room and saw some of the other Warblers raise their hands in agreement with him. Nick and Jeff raised their hands in favor and smiled approvingly. When Blaine looked at the upperclassmen again, his face broke out into a wide smile when he realized Wes and David had their hands raised in favor as well.
Wes banged his gavel; "It's decided, a count of thirteen in favor and five opposed. The countertenor, Kurt Hummel, is now officially our newest Warbler member."
Blaine nodded in thanks, "I'll go tell him the good news. Jeff! Do you have Pavarotti?"
Jeff smiled, "Don't I always?" He reached on the side of the couch and picked up a yellow birdcage. "Going to pass on the tradition?"
Blaine crossed the floor and took Pavarotti from him, "You know it."
Kurt was in one of the many common rooms catching up on his schoolwork.
Wow…Emily Dickinson, you got problems. Someone should have introduced you to Poe.
"Hey Kurt! Been looking for you." Blaine smiled as he sat down on the couch next to him, placing something behind the armrest of the couch out of Kurt's view. "Whatcha doing?"
Kurt smiled coyly at him and said, "Saying nothing…sometimes says the most."
Blaine frowned confused before recognition dawned on his face, "Ahhh…If I can stop one heart from breaking, I shall not live in vain. Emily Dickinson. Very good, sir." He smiled cheekily at the pale-faced boy, his hazel eyes bright and burrowing straight into Kurt's.
Kurt looked down at the coffee table and blushed at Blaine's words. "Yea…she's not so bad."
Though, I like her work a lot better when you recite it.
"So…I brought someone for you to meet." He reached over onto the side of the couch and brought out a yellow birdcage with a small yellow canary resting inside it. "This is Pavarotti. Pavarotti, this is Kurt."
Kurt blinked at the bird, "Hi?"
Not that he isn't cute, but why is Blaine showing me a canary?
"So Kurt, Pavarotti is your responsibility now. He comes from a long, unbroken line of warblers. This warbler is our mascot and represents your voice…." Blaine continued. Only barely holding in his chuckling when Kurt began looking very, very confused.
M-My responsibly? Wha-what?!
"He's not singing right now and loosing his feathers, but that's just because he's molting. He's growing a new coat of feathers, so his body has to shut down a little. I guess he's taking after his new owner." Blaine's eyes twinkled with amusement.
Kurt just shook his head in an attempt to digest what Blaine was saying. "Owner?"
"Well yeah, all newest members of the Warblers have the responsibility of looking after Pavarotti. Did I forget to mention that?" Blaine put a finger to his chin and acted as if he was in deep thought.
Kurt opened and closed his mouth like a fish out of water.
Member? I'm a member?
The tanned boy seemed to take pity on Kurt, "I can't wait for you to show the world what's inside Kurt Hummel's heart."
Kurt's eyes widened at the line. "You saw?" Then his eyes started to water and Kurt's lower lip started to tremble.
He heard me sing.
He must think I sing like such a girl.
That I'M a freakin' fairy or something!
Blaine patted his shoulder, "Hey…like Dickinson said, Beauty is not caused. It is. And your voice, Kurt; it is beauty. Don't deprive the world of that, okay? I'd never lie to you. You would never have been accepted into the Warblers if you truly didn't belong there."
Kurt sniffed, but he didn't say anything. He just stared at the sickly looking bird. He reached out his hand to stroke the cage tenderly.
Belong.
He said I belonged.
"Don't worry. He'll be singing again in no time. Just like you." When Kurt snorted and his lips quirked up into a small smile, Blaine gave him a smile right back. "Don't forget. Warbler practice tomorrow at 5:00 pm. Regionals, here we come." He bumped Kurt's shoulder playfully.
Kurt finally looked up and nodded. "Yeah…here we come, " he whispered.
If I can't show the world who I really am…
…then at least one day I'll show you, Blaine.
I'll show you.
A/N: Yay! :D Hope you liked it! The quotes were of course by Emily Dickinson. The song was 'Reflection' by Christina Aguilera. Review and tell me what you thought of it. ^-^
