"Are you sure they won't mind?" asked Rachel, biting her lips.
"Of course they won't" assured Kurt, rubbing her shoulders, "come on"
He opened the door of the Warblers rehearsal room, took her hand and walked in.
"Hey, Kurt!" greeted Nick.
"Hi" he replied, waving at him and the others.
"Hello, Rachel" said Blaine with a smile, "what's up?"
"Oh, nothing, I'm here to spy on you a little bit" she joked.
"What?"
"I hope that's okay" Kurt looked right into Blaine's eyes, "I was at her rehearsal yesterday, so it shouldn't be a problem"
"I think.." Blaine hesitated, peeking the other Warblers, "I think it's alright. You can stay, Rachel"
"Thank you" she replied, taking a small bow.
"Yes, thanks a lot, guys" Kurt spoke to his mates.
"So, what are you singing today?" asked Rachel, curious.
"Uhm, well, Blaine had this idea.." stuttered Wes, wrinkling his nose.
"So it's Katy Perry" joked Rachel with a grin.
"Yes" affirmed Nick, shrugging, "he wants us to sing 'The one that got away', he has the perfect arrangement"
"I never said it was perfect.." replied Blaine, modestly.
"Don't be shy now" hissed Jeff, "you always have the best ideas.."
"Come on, guys.."
"Let's just start" hissed Kurt, roughly, "you can sit down there, princess"
"Okay" Rachel nodded and sat down, while the Warblers lined up and Blaine began to sing.
"Summer after high school when we first met,
we make out in your Mustang to Radio head,
and on my 18th birthday we got that chain tattoos.."
"We got that chain tattoos.." echoed the Warblers. Rachel couldn't help but notice that Kurt seemed kind of annoyed. "Oooh, oooh.."
"Used to steal your parents' liquor and climb to the roof" continued Blaine with funny but very theatrical expressions that Rachel knew very well, "talk about our future like we had a clue,
never plan that one day I'd be losing you"
"I'd be losing you.." from the choristers row, Kurt frowned at Blaine when he smiled at Rachel. All the Warblers sang together: "In another life, you would be my girl,
we keep all our promises, be us against the world.
And in other life I would make you stay,
so I don't have to say you were the one that got away.."
"The one that got away.." Blaine stared intensively at Rachel, who looked at him for a second, intimidated, then she winked at Kurt, making him smile a little.
"I was dreaming I was your Johnny Cash" sang Blaine, "never one, we got the other, we made a pact.
Sometimes when I miss you, I put those records on.."
"Woah, woah" hummed the Warblers.
"Someone said you had your tattoo removed,
saw you downtown singing the blues,
it's time to face the music, I'm longer your muse.."
"In another life you would be my girl,
we keep all our promises, be us against the world" Blaine started to dance around Rachel, while the Warblers backed him up, "and in another life, I would make you stay,
so I don't have to say you were the one that got away.."
"The one that got away" she joined them, dancing with Blaine and Wes, then Jeff and Kurt, and then with all the other Warblers; it was fun rehearsing that way!
"The one!" Blaine took Rachel's hands.
"Oh, the one!" she echoed, beaming.
"The one!"
"The one" Rachel let go of his hands and ran towards Kurt, giving him a quick kiss, "you're the one!"
"The one that got away" sang Blaine, dancing, "the one that got away..
all these money can't buy me a time machine, no,
can't replace you with a million rings, no,
I should've told you what you meant to me.."
"What you meant to me" echoed Rachel and the Warblers, "to me, to me, woah.."
"Because now I pay the price, in another life you would be my girl,
we keep all our promises, be us against the world.
And in another life, I would make you stay
so I don't have to say you were the one that got away.."
"The one that got away" sang Rachel, walking back to Blaine, "in another life I would be your girl,
we keep all our promises, be us against the world.."
"In another life, would you make me stay?" he replied, keeping making those funny faces.
"You wouldn't have to say I was the one that got away!"
"The one that got away"
"The one.." Rachel gave one last look at the Warblers, then walked back to her chair singing.
"The one, the one, the one.." sang Blaine, "in another life I would make you stay,
so I don't have to say you were the one that got away..
the one that got away"
As the Warblers stopped singing, Rachel began to clap.
"You were awesome!" she exclaimed, happily.
"You too!" complimented Nick, accompanied by general approval.
"Thanks" said Rachel with a shrugged, then she hugged Kurt, "but you were wonderful. I really like this arrangement"
"You know, without you it wouldn't work so well" replied Blaine with a smile.
"Let's just say that Rachel Berry's personal touch is always a blessing"
"True" agreed Kurt, kissing her on the cheek. She giggled.
"It was a good idea, Blaine" Jeff gave him a smack on the shoulder, "you're the best"
"Thanks"
"And also, you're right, Rachel fitted it perfectly"
"She could fit everything" said Blaine, grinning, "it's a shame she's not a Warbler"
"It's a shame you're not New Directions" replied Rachel with a shrug, "but I'm really sorry that you're our competition.. if we were in the same team, we all would be so much better!"
"Yeah, the New Warblers" joked Kurt, "sounds terrible, forget it, it's just a dream.."
"Alright guys, I forgot the cd I wanted you to hear in my car" irrupted Wes, "I'll go take it, you take a minute to rest your vocal chords.."
"Okay!" agreed the Warblers, and some sat down, some began to talking, some texted and some tried very cool dance moves. Rachel and Kurt walked towards the window.
"You were wonderful" she repeated, caressing his cheek, "I'm proud of you"
"This makes my day, princess" thanked Kurt, kissing her hand, "are you having fun?"
"A lot! It is so cool here!"
"It's the same as at Mc Kinley.. but without Mr Schuester's help"
"You don't need help, you guys are great, seriously"
"The New Directions are too" replied Kurt, shrugging.
"Are you kidding?" asked Rachel, raising both of her eyebrows. "The Warblers are rock stars! They love what they do, and so does the entire Dalton Academy! I wish the New Directions were this appreciated.."
"The New Directions are loved"
"By who?"
"By me" answered Kurt, frustrated, "and I wish I could get back with you everyday"
"Oh, Kurt.." Rachel hesitated, then she hugged him and whispered to his ear: "I know you miss us, but this is were you belong now"
"No, it's not. I belong with you and the New Directions"
"The Warblers like you a lot.."
"Really?" asked Kurt, sourly. "Because it seems to me that all the can see is Blaine"
"Listen to me" Rachel stopped hugging him and looked right into his eyes, severely, "don't even think about coming back to Mc Kinley. You're safe here, we might have Mr Schuester, or whatever, but we also have Karofsky, and you're not risking your life because of Blaine, alright?"
Kurt looked down, sighing. She was right, he was safe there, but he was tired of being a Warbler, he missed his old school and friends, and he didn't want to be Rachel's competition at Regionals and Nationals.
"Alright" he whispered, hugging her, "thank you.."
"Don't thank me" she said, stroking his hair, "I didn't do anything. I just want you to be out of trouble"
After the rehearsal, Kurt gave her a ride home. As she arrived, she ran upstairs and took a long shower, her mind full of thoughts.
"I need to do something" she told herself, pouring the herbal essence on her head, "Kurt's clearly unhappy there, and even if the Warblers are nice to him, he's right, the New Directions are his family.."
When she'd worn her pajamas, she sat down on her bed and dialed Kurt's house number.
"Hello?" answered Finn.
"Hi, it's Rachel"
"Oh, uhm, wait, I'll call Kurt.."
"Don't" irrupted Rachel, biting her lips, "I want to talk to you"
"Me?" Finn sounded surprised. "Why?"
"Listen, I'm sorry that he treated you that way, yesterday.. it's just that he's very sad"
"He is, uh?"
"Yeah, and he wants to get back to Mc Kinley"
"He can't" said Finn, firmly, "he wouldn't be safe"
"That's exactly what I told him, but.." Rachel took a deep breath, "I need your help"
"Mine?"
"Yes, and the New Directions' as well"
"What do you want us to do?" asked Finn, interested.
"We have to speak to Karofsky, and make him promise he won't hurt Kurt if he gets back at Mc Kinley"
"You seriously think it will work?"
"No, but we have to try" answered Rachel, sighing, "the others will say it's stupid, and I know you think it too, but you're Kurt's brother, and if they see you act they'll help you"
"You're his girlfriend" observed Finn, "why can't you act first?"
"Because they don't like me!" blurted Rachel, desperate. "They hate me, they will never help me.."
"Don't be so dramatic, you know it's not true"
"Oh, do I? Actually I don't. I'm tired of people calling me dramatic, I say what I think, and what I think is that the New Directions hate me for being better then them"
"Have you ever thought that maybe they don't like you because all you can say is how much better then them you are?" asked Finn with a calm voice.
"Well.. yes" Rachel hesitated, "of course I'm a bit vain and conceited sometimes, but that's what I am, and if they haven't understood and accepted that after 2 years, I don't think they will now that I ask for their help. And also, I don't care if they don't like me, I only care about Kurt, I like him and he's the one who likes me, so I want to help him.."
"That's not true" hissed Finn, "I like you"
"Maybe you did once, you like Quinn now.."
"I'm dating Quinn, but that doesn't mean I don't like you anymore"
"Stop" said Rachel, controlling herself from yelling at him, "don't say anything. I don't want to talk about that, we were talking about Kurt.."
"Kurt, Kurt, Kurt!" exclaimed Finn, annoyed. "Is that all you can think about?"
"Actually it is!" replied Rachel, furious. "I care for him, and you should too since he's not feeling happy. What kind of brother are you?"
"I care for him, I want him to stay at Mc Kinley so he's safe.."
"You want him to stay at Mc Kinley so you can flirt with me" thought Rachel, but instead she said: "Well, he's safe but also sad!"
"You can't get everything from life"
"You're so selfish, I've never been so disappointed in you"
"Whatever, you like Kurt so much, who cares about me.."
"Don't play the victim!" yelled Rachel. "You were the one who broke up with me, I would have never done it, you were the one who left and ran into Quinn's arms!"
"You cheated on me" replied Finn, angrily "you went away first.."
"Shut up" hissed Rachel, "I don't want Kurt to hear us. Forget about us, move on"
"Fine"
"So?"
"So what?"
"Will you help me?" asked Rachel, hopeful. "Please"
"Uhm.." Finn hesitated; he wanted his brother to be safe, but he hated how Rachel cared for him, and he didn't even know why since he was dating Quinn. "Yes"
"Yes?"
"Yes" repeated Finn, sighing, "I'll help you"
"Oh, thank you so much!" exclaimed Rachel, relieved. "I'll think of something and tell you tomorrow, okay?"
"Alright"
"Goodnight, Finn!"
"Goodnight, Rachel.." he hanged up, turned around and walked upstairs. He hadn't noticed Kurt eavesdropping from the living room.