Chapter 22
Prom. Rachel groaned and sank into her chair. As if Nationals weren't enough no one could shut up about Prom. "S'matter Rae," Puck dropped into the seat beside her and draped his arm over her shoulders. "Ain't interested in Prom?"
"It just seems like a waste of money and time and we've already got so much to deal with," Rachel admitted.
"Don't wanna dance with me? Worried I'll step all over your feet?" Puck looked at her and couldn't quite hide the gleam of hurt in his darkening hazel eyes.
"No, it's not that at all. I'd love to spend the evening dancing with you," Rachel shook her head. "But isn't thinking about it all just a little…overwhelming?"
"Yeah some, but I've been saving up so I could ask you," He admitted. "'Course if you don't wanna go…"
"I'd love to go with you," Rachel assured him. "I'll get Sam to drive me to get a dress. I just don't want you to waste your money if it's not something you really want to do."
"Hey, I've been looking forward to this for six months," He dropped a kiss on her lips. "So you pick out a dress, and shoes, and a purse…and I guess make a hair appointment for the crazy updos the girls all seem to get. And I'll take care of the rest."
"I can do my own hair," Rachel grinned at him. "But I'll take your advice on the rest."
"Cool," He grinned and kissed her again. "Thought I'd spring for a hotel room for after, if that's okay with you?"
"I'd like that…but would you let me help pay for it?" Rachel offered, "I'd like to. Especially since I'll be with you."
"Okay…for that. But we're not going dutch on anything else," Her boyfriend smirked as if he'd gotten the last word. Which she supposed he had.
Since her date to the prom also happened to be her best friend/boyfriend, she really couldn't go shopping with him. When she'd quietly asked Tina if she'd go with her to find a dress the Goth girl's eyes had lit up. She'd quietly gone and grabbed Brittany and explained what Rachel needed.
"Oh this'll be fun," Brittany's smile stretched ear to ear.
"So much fun," Tina agreed as they got out of Brittany's car. "We've got our dresses already so now we can concentrate on yours."
"So first order of business is you think of how you want your hair. You want a style that suits you, but also makes the most of the dress. If you're going to wear your hair up, something that leaves the shoulders bare. Backless you could leave your hair down and swept over one shoulder like that movie star… Veronica Lake?" Brittany paused her lecture to confirm the name with Tina who nodded.
"I'll probably put it up," Rachel nodded her understanding. "I have some pretty combs with crystals that will look nice."
"So we could find something metallic, or pale, to go with the crystals," Brittany nodded guiding them through the mall with the air of a veteran shopper. "Bronze or gold would look good with your skin tones. Or cream."
"You'd look great in black," Tina commented as they entered a shop with dresses on display. "Most girls don't like it as much as something flashy like red or pink."
"Everyone will be doing red or pink or that electric blue," The Cheerio shook her head as she began to flip through the racks. "Okay, divide and conquer. Just remember if it's a metallic we have to find shoes to match and that might be difficult."
"Whereas a more 'normal' color I could match with black or gold shoes and other accessories?" Rachel tilted her head, considering an off the shoulder gown and put it back, ruffles were not flattering to her.
"Yeah, pretty much. Though if you go for floor length, you could do black satin shoes and a clutch to match," Brittany supported her conclusion.
"I actually like that idea, though floor length doesn't always look good on me, I'm too short," She looked over at Tina. "I'm good with miniskirts, or the tea length gowns."
"Yeah, we don't have the time to have something tailored," Tina brought over a simple deep green dress of chiffon and held it next to Rachel. "I don't think the color is quite right. You need something warm."
"This is going to take a while isn't it?" Rachel sighed. Normally she'd love shopping, but last-minute shopping… more stressful than she liked.
It had really been a Godsend that Tina and Brittany were willing to come with her. Santana and Quinn had showed up after an hour and between the three Cheerios and Tina's quiet but surprisingly firm opinions, they'd had her trying on dress after dress. Thankfully there weren't that many stores to choose from, not selling formals anyway.
Surprisingly she'd had a lot of fun, even if her feet were killing her and her head was spinning. Bags and bags upon bags, since the gown needed the right foundation under it, the right shoes, jewelry, bag and different hair accessories since her combs wouldn't quite work.
"Thank you, all of you, so much," Rachel had invited the girls back to her house for something to eat before they all split up. "I doubt I'd have had the patience to find the dress by myself, and I know I wouldn't have had nearly as much fun shopping alone."
"Hey, it was fun," Santana shrugged. "We oughta do girls stuff more often. Just the glee girls."
"Then we'd have to invite Mercedes," Tina grimaced and Quinn's expression mimicked hers.
"Let's keep it informal," Rachel suggested politely. "But I'd love to socialize with you more. The guys are wonderful but they're hardly going to come get manicures with me."
"Not mani-pedis," Tina tilted her head curiously.
"Not the way she dances," Santana shook her head. "Cheerios are one thing, but B and Brittany are in advanced dance classes, en pointe in ballet…"
"Makes for very rough, ugly feet," Rachel shrugged. "There's a reason I don't have any open toed shoes."
"I wondered why you kept passing up those gorgeous strappy sandals," Tina admitted. "If I had any excuse to buy them I would have."
"Hey, we should all get ready together," Brittany clapped her hands excitedly. "You know, like for our girls day. Go get manicures, our faces done, hair done, and then we'll go home and put our dresses on. It'll be, like relaxing, beforehand."
"Britt-Britt, that'd be really cool, but there's no way we'd be able to get a group appointment with prom so soon," Quinn reluctantly quashed the idea. "But I'm all for getting together, maybe for brunch? And we all go to our appointments after?"
"Good compromise," Rachel smiled. "It gets us girl time without stressing too much."
"Cool," Brittany grinned and began to text. "I'm making us reservations at ten? At Le Madeleine." Without pause she explained, "They've got regular breakfast stuff but they have light stuff too like yogurt and fresh berries and vegetarian friendly options."
"Ten works for me," Santana nodded and surprisingly Quinn was the only one who had to be a little late.
"But I can get there by ten fifteen definitely, I just don't want to say ten and be late you know," She explained.
"We'll order you orange juice and coffee and stall until you get there," Rachel promised with a smile.
"Awesome!" Brittany sang the word and Tina laughed.
"Yeah, it will be." The soft-spoken girl agreed.
Brunch had been fantastic. She'd managed to squeeze in a hair appointment and a manicure, preferring to do her own makeup. Her dads had gone crazy with the picture taking. Sam had decided last minute to go stag and just enjoy the night so she posed with him, with Puck, with her dads, by herself until she became convinced her parents were switching out the memory chips in the camera.
Puck had sprung for a limo and looked so handsome in his tuxedo she nearly lost all her lipstick kissing him. A single dark red rose corsage fastened around her wrist and they'd had a lovely dinner at Breadstix before dancing half the night at the Prom. The school gymnasium had turned into a streamer and glitter festooned ballroom, balloons hovering in the air with shimmering ribbon tails dangling from the ceiling.
And then Puck had kissed her gently and asked her to sit at the table right by the stage where the band played. He'd gone up on the stage and one of the band members had nodded at him as if he'd been expecting it.
"Hey folks. Figured I'd continue with my homage to Jewish artists," He spoke into the microphone in that low gravelly voice she loved. "Just keep dancing, this's a slow one. Just for my girl. Rae, you're it. You're the one. Hope this shows it."
She didn't recognize the tune at first, sparse and tugged out of the guitar strings like a lament, but his voice made her ache as he sang, "In every heart there is a room
A sanctuary safe and strong
To heal the wounds from lovers past
Until a new one comes along
I spoke to you in cautious tones
You answered me with no pretense
And still I feel I said too much
My silence is my self defense
And every time I've held a rose
It seems I only felt the thorns
And so it goes, and so it goes
And so will you soon I suppose…"
She'd heard the song before, sad and sweet, but the way Puck sang it, she could feel what he was telling her, how hard it was for him to open up. How much he trusted her. "But if my silence made you leave
Then that would be my worst mistake
So I will share this room with you
And you can have this heart to break
And this is why my eyes are closed
It's just as well for all I've seen
And so it goes, and so it goes
And you're the only one who knows…"
His eyes met hers from the stage, returning like a magnet from where he'd let them wander over the room, somehow his voice deepened, filled with hope and a near desperate fear, "So I would choose to be with you
That's if the choice were mine to make
But you can make decisions too
And you can have this heart to break
And so it goes, and so it goes
And you're the only one who knows…"
He handed off the guitar immediately after, and moved off the stage, descending the steps and catching her up in his arms when she threw herself at him. "Rae, you understand what I'm sayin," He looked down at her, heart in his eyes.
"Yes I do," Rachel smiled up at him. "I love you too Noah Puckerman."
"Yeah I'm gonna thank God for the rest of my life for that," He kissed her hungrily and hugged her tight.
The Glee Girls informal group had agreed to congregate at her house again, mostly because Quinn's was 'uncomfortable' as she put it. Santana's was too far away. Brittany's wasn't big enough and Tina's was full of her brothers and sisters. Rachel was the only one with a finished basement that wasn't taken over by kids, storage or being used as an office.
"I don't mind," She explained. "My dads are thrilled to have people over. And it's nice to have an excuse to make things that aren't…well manly dishes if you know what I mean."
"Manly gay men?" Quinn tilted her head. Her tone didn't quite reach mocking but it did sound confused.
"They're both very physically active and ex-military," Rachel explained. "So they like a lot of protein and vegetable heavy meals. Not that I get to have a lot of carbs or sugars but now and then I do like to indulge in something more… delicate than hearty."
"Oh… grilled chicken salad instead of chicken stew," Quinn nodded her understanding. "I can totally get that."
Rachel nodded, "It's not as if I'd be making something inferior in nutrition." She rolled her eyes. "And Noah is just as bad. Though he doesn't complain, he just looks…" She paused trying to describe the look.
"Like he's grateful for the food but he wishes it was different," Santana guessed with a grin.
Rachel snapped her fingers, pointing at Santana, "Yes. That!" She shook her head, "Seriously? Why?"
"None of them were raised to eat salads as something they'd enjoy except as a side dish," Tina shook her head. "But at least they eat healthy."
"Most of the guys in Glee do," Brittany commented as she looked at Rachel's collection of movies. "Oohh… Rachel, can we watch this?" She turned holding a DVD of the Princess Bride. "Please?"
"I don't mind if the rest of you want to," Rachel smiled and looked at the other three. "What do you think?"
"I've never seen it," Quinn admitted and Santana nodded.
"I've seen it but only once," Tina smiled. "I remember it's funny."
"Funny and sweet," Rachel agreed. "And it's not musical theatre," She added with a smirk. "How about after we eat Brittany?"
"Yes!" The bubbly Cheerio bounced around the room happily and Rachel grinned.
"So you two are seniors right," She looked at Santana and Quinn. "Have you heard back from colleges yet? I'm assuming you want college at least? Neither of you seem like you're sick of school."
"Yeah, we want college," Santana grinned as Brittany continued her bouncing for a moment more before dropping onto the couch next to her. "I'm headed for NYU."
"Yale," Quinn admitted. "I just want something…different."
"Yale would certainly be different than Lima," Rachel agreed.
"By a million miles," Santana nodded, her voice dry. "And you're headed off to Julliard come September."
"Yes," Rachel sighed happily. "And I'm excited and much happier about it now."
"You weren't before," Tina blinked in surprise.
"I was, but I really was torn, because Noah is here," The tiny diva shrugged. "But he says he's applied to colleges in New York too."
"That boy would hitchhike to New York if it kept him close to you," Santana drawled in amusement.
"He said the same thing," Rachel laughed. "Which is fine with me. I'm head over heels for him."
"He's gone on you," Quinn commented, her lips twitching in a half smile. "I never thought I'd see him like that."
"It's hard for me to picture him the way everyone describes," She shook her head. "He's so honest and open with me. And considerate."
"Well Rachel, you're pretty much the first person he's had a clean slate with. Everyone else knows all about him, or they think they do, and they just…adjust their expectations accordingly." Tina spread her hands helplessly, "We know him better, but he's different with you than anyone else."
"I'm different with him," Rachel admitted. "I like it. He helps me stay balanced."
It seemed like everyone had chosen a different song for the ballad. And everyone was arguing about which one should be featured. David, Azimio, Mike and Artie had opted out of the debate. Brittany wasn't interested in the solo and while Quinn had tried she admitted privately it was only to split the vote a bit between Mercedes and Kurt. Blaine was supporting his boyfriend but his eyes were getting a bit tight at the corners as the debate continued. Clearly he was getting tired of being prodded to pick apart the performances of the rest of the club. He'd decided he was happier with a smaller solo since he'd be in Glee next year and with some seniority and all the experience under his belt he'd have more opportunities. It wasn't fair, he'd said, to take the solo from a senior who might not get the chance again.
Puck could be grateful for his attitude as it had prompted Tina to suggest her songs but also decline auditioning for the solo. Everyone was arguing because they'd chosen songs that would best showcase their voice. Rachel was debating along with them but she wasn't shouting and she wasn't being nasty either. And the song she'd picked would suit a lot of them.
"What about a duet," He suggested idly to Coach Beiste. "You'd have more than one person singing, gives it a more layered performance right?"
"You don't think that'll just leave the field wide open for even more debate and songs to choose from?" Coach Sylvester looked up from her work on the choreography.
"Honestly, I'm just gettin' tired of the shrieking," He looked over his shoulder as Santana erupted into Spanish, cursing Mercedes out with enviable fluency. "Damn…"
Rachel looked taken aback by the dark haired Cheerio's vitriol. "Santana…"
"Relax B, I'm not pissed at you. Least you ain't calling me a tramp and saying my voice is husky because I've had one too many di—"
"Santana," Coach Sylvester interrupted her before she could say something that might get her in trouble. "I think there's been enough of this brouhaha."
"Coach, she—"
"I know," Coach Sylvester shook her head. "But I've had enough of the debate…such as it is." She gave the two non-Jewish divas a cold look. "If you can't argue without getting personal then you can't have a civilized argument."
"You say personal things to Mr. Schuester all the time," Kurt objected.
"Possibly that's true, but I'm an adult and you're not responsible for me," The lanky blonde retorted.
"We'll have a blind vote," Coach Beiste was busy writing down the four songs in question on various slips of paper. "Once we decide on a song then you all can practice it and audition for the solo."
"Or duet if you choose to share the spotlight," Coach Sylvester added.
"Where's Mr. Schuester," Mercedes demanded to know sulkily.
"With Principal Figgins," Coach Beiste answered her absently. "Puckerman, pass these out." She handed him the slips. It'd be more than his life was worth to make a sarcastic remark at this point, Coach was pissed off. Her mouth was set and unsmiling and she never got like that unless she had a serious issue with something.
"Anything for you Coach," He nodded and took the papers with a smile, pretending he hadn't noticed her irritation. Everyone got a slip of paper and he sat down to circle his own vote. Rachel's song, of course. Santana had gotten tons better but she couldn't touch Rachel and she knew it.
"All right, everyone circle the song you liked best. Not the voice, just the song." Coach Sylvester ordered. "Then fold the thing in half and put it in the jar." She handed him a glass jar that he could have sworn had once been full of M&Ms and he ambled around the room collecting votes.
When everyone had turned theirs in he brought the jar back to the piano. The Cheerios coach nodded and dumped them out, tallying up the score and handed them over to Coach Beiste to recount.
Finally the two of them were done with an agreed upon number and Coach Sylvester looked up with an expression that suggested she was no longer willing to hear any arguments. "I'm going to tell you which song was decided and then you're all going to shut up and think about how you can make that song better."
Coach Beiste nodded her agreement, "We've wasted enough time and heard far too many insults in your 'debates' to have patience with it anymore."
Here we go again, Puck thought as he and Rachel sat down. Performing with her was always a rush and the song suited their voices perfectly, at least he thought so. You'd never know it to hear Mercedes bitch and moan though.
"You ain't been here the last three years," Chocolate Thunder snapped at Rachel. "You ain't earned any of this. You think you can just waltz in and 'ooohh, la-di-dah, I've got early acceptance at Julliard' and hog all the solos, you'd better think again."
"I'm sorry," Rachel's voice held a chill she only reserved for the rudest of antagonists. "I was under the impression that solos were still awarded by vote, on merit. Or am I mistaken? Are you suggesting you don't have the chops to earn a solo without assistance associated with seniority?"
"I have to agree with Mercedes," Kurt opined, ignoring Puck's muttered 'of course you do'. "By her own admission, Rachel doesn't exactly need a solo to get the attention of any performing arts college. Why should she get to perform when there are other people who could use the exposure."
"Oh, I didn't know this was a charity," Rachel regarded him with a tilt of her head. "Am I mistaken? Is this not a Glee Club in a National Competition? If the goal isn't to win then why are we even bothering?"
"Oh no, you skinny little white bitch," Mercedes really had her Irish up, so to speak. "You did not just say that we can't win with me singing lead."
"Oh, didn't I?" Rachel smiled sweetly. "Did you misunderstand me? I'll say it more clearly then. My voice is better than yours. If you get the solo then we'll lose."
Puck snorted into his hand, trying not to laugh at the astonished and then furious expression on Mercedes' face. "Damn Rae," He pressed his face to her hair in amusement. "You don't pull any punches do you?"
"Pulling punches often ensures your opponent gets up and tries to stomp on you again," Rachel replied evenly.
Mercedes hadn't stopped fuming and Kurt's expression had twisted with equal outrage. So far none of the adults had stepped in, though here came Mr. Schuester. And this would not be good.
"Actually I think Kurt and Mercedes have a valid point," Schuester had that faux jovial tone to his voice. The one that basically screwed you over while pretending he was doing you a favor. "It doesn't really seem fair that after years of everyone else's hard work Rachel gets every solo."
"Fair…" Puck stared at him. "Fair is voting. Doesn't get more fair than that. An' if you're sayin' Rae doesn't work hard then you are blind as a bat."
"Puck you can hardly consider yourself unbiased," Schuester returned.
"Neither can you," Puck shot back. "You got no use for me until you need a body in the ranks. Then it's all 'oh I believe in you Puck'. But when you don't? You act just like most of the rest of the school. Like I'm some Lima Loser and that's all I'll ever be. And you don't even want me to start on how you treat my girl. Like you're pissed she's got the chance you never had."
"I think that's enough from you Puck," The teacher ordered.
"No, I don't think it is," He hadn't moved from his semi sprawled position during the entire 'debate' now he straightened up and stared at the man. "This ain't the place for you to try and live out your old hopes and dreams through us. This is our club. We call the shots. You're the faculty advisor. Key word there, advisor."
"Will, before you say something you'll regret," Coach Beiste interceded. "This isn't accomplishing anything. Solos are decided by vote."
"And the name of the game is to win," Coach Sylvester added. "Berry's right about that."
"So let's vote then," Clearly Mr. Schue thought everyone would agree with Mercedes and Kurt. "Who thinks Kurt should do the solo?"
Puck looked over his shoulder and smirked. Blaine had taken a seat behind Kurt today since Mercedes had snagged the chair beside him. The ex-Warbler hadn't raised his hand. Kurt was the only one who had.
"I see. And who votes for Mercedes?" Schuester's face was starting to pucker like he'd been sucking on a lemon when the only hand in the air belonged to the self-proclaimed 'Aretha of Glee'.
"And who votes for Rachel and Puck," Now the man's face did screw up like he was sucking lemons. Puck raised his hand, and Rachel raised hers, and so did everyone else in the club. "You're all absolutely certain?"
"Their hands are up William," Sue Sylvester had obviously had enough. Her voice could have cut glass. "It's obviously a win for Berry and Puckerman."
"I can't believe ya'll," Mercedes would wreck her voice if she kept shrieking like that. "You don't vote for me or Kurt and we been friends for how long?"
"Friends don't let friends have solos they can't handle," Quinn retorted with a smirk. "Neither of you has the chops to handle a solo of that length. Kurt can't get through more than three lines without throwing in five different flourishes and you get pitchy when you aren't screeching out those high notes. You want a solo, learn to actually control your voice."
"Oh like you're so damn perfect Miss Baby Mama," Mercedes sniped.
"Hey, I know my voice isn't as good," Quinn didn't stoop to the other girl's level. "But you don't see me demanding a solo when our best chance to win is someone else."
"An' we ain't friends," Dave rolled his eyes. "Far as I'm concerned you're a pain in the ass." He tossed a look at Kurt, "Both of you. You got small solos in the other songs. Why can't you just be happy with that. You don't see the rest of us throwing a fit do you?"
"Yeah, I mean, Mike and Artie have put in just as much time," Tina pointed out. "So have I. So have Brittany and Santana. Give it a rest. We voted. You lost."
"At least if we win you can put 'National Champion Glee Club' on your college applications. And you can truthfully say you had a solo," Artie nodded. "We don't have time for all this drama."
Kurt shot a betrayed look at his boyfriend when Blaine didn't speak up but sighed and sat back when Blaine simply looked back at him, "It just feels like since I came back I'm stuck behind the scenes again." He commented bitterly.
"This is a group," Blaine reminded him. "You got a solo last year because you proved you could do more than showtunes. But this year it's like you forgot you can do simple. Everything is opera to you."
Kurt nodded and covered Blaine's hand with his when the other boy gripped his shoulder comfortingly. "I have been backsliding a bit," He admitted. "I'll work on it."
"You're just giving up," Mercedes folded her arms angrily. "Just like that."
"Mercedes," Blaine began and she cut him off immediately.
"No, I've had enough of this bullshit," She stood. "You all just like to use me on those high notes and ignore me on the rest."
Puck rubbed the back of his neck, "And we told you why."
"Mercedes, if you want a solo, you have to work at it," Quinn's voice softened. "You're my friend and I'll never forget what you did for me. But you seem to think that if you don't have all the attention it's not enough. What happened to the girl who was so supportive when I was pregnant? Who helped Kurt and encouraged Tina?"
Puck sat back with a sigh. Mercedes had told the entire club, except Rachel, that Quinn's baby was his, not Finn's, after she'd promised she wouldn't. She and Kurt had conspired to send a girl who'd wanted to audition to a crack-house. She'd gotten Lauren to be her manager and demanded solos and other ridiculous things. Yeah she'd done good things but she'd also been a total attention diva, demanding and not always reasonable.
"No, either I get an actual solo, not just two bitty lines, or I'm walking," Mercedes stared at all of them for a moment and when no one spoke up grabbed her things and began to stomp out of the room.
"'Cedes, please," Kurt pleaded. "Be reasonable. You and I both got solos, in front of a paying audience in the show we did."
"I've had enough of this, takin' me for granted, actin' like some skinny little jenny come lately is better than me," Mercedes kept going. "Ya'll are gonna fall flat on your faces and I'm gonna laugh." The slam of the choir room door punctuated her words.
"Gee that was fun," AZ quipped wryly. "Anybody got an encore?"
"Please," Santana rolled her eyes. "Girl's been getting more and more full of herself. She's good. But she ain't all that and a bag of chips."
"Chips," Artie and David groaned simultaneously.
"Chip break in a half an hour," Coach Sylvester decreed. "First we're getting the travel arrangements locked down. Then a quick break, and we're diving into the choreography."
Funny how no one really argued when either Coach gave orders like that. Puck smirked. These women were kick ass.
Rachel took a deep breath and let it out slowly, stretching her muscles to wind down after practice and rolled her neck to work out any kinks. When she opened her eyes Kurt was staring at her and she raised an eyebrow. Kurt hadn't been especially welcoming, he'd actually been downright rude. "Yes," She forced herself to sip, not gulp, her water. "Something?"
"I owe you an apology," Kurt's expression epitomized uncomfortable. When she said nothing he flushed slightly and continued, "This year I was really thinking I was a shoe in for more solos. I've got the range. And I do know how to tone down the emoting." He paused and took a breath, more to steady himself it looked like, than any real need. "When Puck brought you to audition for the club…I knew that pretty much killed any chance I'd have. Your voice is…beyond pretty much everybody's. I've got the range but I don't have the lung capacity you do. So I…tried to make you feel so unwelcome that you'd quit."
"You realize that if you had, Noah would have come with me? And you wouldn't have enough members to compete? Because AZ and David wouldn't have joined," Rachel pointed out trying to keep her voice even. "You'd have been reduced to having the band stand on stage with you to make up the members. It would have worked but the sound wouldn't be as good."
"That…occurred to me…after the fact," The delicate boy admitted. "Anyway. I wanted to tell you that I'm sorry. It's because of you that we have a chance this year."
"Your step brother was also kicked out of the club, some would say because of me," Rachel reminded him.
"Honestly, Finn was more into the fun portion of Glee, the work…not so much," Kurt admitted. "And his grades kept him out more than you. Once he found out Quinn's baby wasn't his he lost any drive he had to go to college. He likes working with my Dad in the garage. He likes Lima."
"Simple tastes," Rachel summed up. "Nothing wrong with it, but not for everyone."
"Pretty much, yes," Kurt agreed. "Anyway… Sorry. Again."
"Apology accepted," Rachel smiled. Then Coach Sue came entered the auditorium with her usual style and the short break was over, "And we're back to it."
"Between her and Coach Beiste we'd get to Nationals even if we had to walk," Kurt grinned.
"Don't joke, I swear she would make us hike to Chicago just to toughen us up if she thought it was warranted," Rachel chuckled as they made their way over to the rest of the group.
"Well teenie boppers I hope your voices are warmed up because we don't have any time to waste," Coach informed them briskly. Of course not, Rachel smiled. Coach never wasted time.
Puck wondered if it was strange for Rachel to be back in Chicago and when he asked she smiled up at him. "In a way. But I'm not going to school and without that routine it's more like any other competition."
"You gotta tell us the best place to shop," Brittany insisted and every girl in Glee plus Kurt nodded their agreement.
"After the competition," Rachel insisted right back. "We can't afford to be distracted beforehand."
The chorus of groans was damn near comical and then the rest of the guys sighed in relief and he couldn't contain that laugh that burst out of his mouth. "Damn, you act like them going shopping's a fate worse than death," He chuckled shaking his head.
"You've never been dragged along to be the pack mule," Mike told him.
"True," Puck shrugged. "Still funny."
Backstage was always chaotic, but in a weird sense completely organized at the same time. Everyone rushing everywhere, all at once, but hyper focused on their own tasks. New Directions wasn't first in the line-up. But they were very close to last, when they'd be freshest in the judges minds. Good thing, Puck reminded himself, fresh in their minds was always a good thing.
Since Mercedes had dumped them, the solo she and Kurt had needed reworking. He and Blaine had joined forces and their voices did sound great together. All polished up the song sounded awesome, even if he did say so himself.
Glee had actually been the most fun it had ever been, now that Kurt had eased up on his diva-tude and Mercedes had taken herself out completely. Sure, he and Quinn would never be 'besties' but they could do cordial. And everyone else, while they might squabble, nobody completely hated anyone else.
The only real friction had been between Schuester and Coach Sylvester. And Coach Beiste was good at getting between the two of them so they didn't kill each other. Not that Schuester would have much of a chance against the Cheerios coach. The woman was intense.
He looked over at Rachel and took a deep breath. Brad and the band were getting themselves out on stage, halfway in the wings, but still visible. The group had voted and insisted that the instrumentalists were just as much part of Glee as the singers. Thankfully the costumes were easy enough to replicate.
Time to make his way around to the other side of the stage. He had five minutes before Brad began to play the opening. Rachel gave him a big grin and blew him a kiss for luck as he began to weave his way through people to his starting spot.
It took almost the entire five minutes to get there, thanks to the mass of people and the other choirs trying to get off stage, get in place for their slot, and just generally getting in his way. But he practically skidded into place and took a minute to be grateful Rachel had taught him how to breathe deeply and get his heart rate down. An adrenaline spike would do his vocal control no good whatsoever.
One more deep breath and the audience quieted as the piano notes began. Rachel's voice rang out over the stage as she walked slowly out to the center, turning only slightly towards the audience, "There's a calm surrender to the rush of day
When the heat of a rolling wind can be turned away…"
Then he began his walk, picking up a beat after her voice ended, moving slowly and mirroring her, "An enchanted moment, and it sees me through
It's enough for this restless warrior just to be with you…"
The idea had been they were singing to each other, but turned just enough that the audience could see their faces, hear their voices project across the stage and out to the rest of the theatre. Rachel began the first part of the chorus, sweet rich notes, "And can you feel the love tonight?
It is where we are
It's enough for this wide-eyed wanderer…"
He joined his voice to hers for one line and she let her voice fade afterwards, giving him the rest of the chorus, "That we got this far
And can you feel the love tonight?
How it's laid to rest?
It's enough to make kings and vagabonds
Believe the very best."
He began the next verse, lifting a hand as if to touch her cheek, "There's a time for everyone if they only learn…"
Rachel's voice meshed with his perfectly as she joined him on the next line so they'd finish out the verse together, "That the twisting kaleidoscope moves us all in turn
There's a rhyme and reason to the wild outdoors
When the heart of this star-crossed voyager beats in time with yours."
They sang the first two lines of each part of the chorus together, Rachel's voice soaring as she continued alone on the last two lines, "And can you feel the love tonight?
It is where we are
It's enough for this wide-eyed wanderer
That we got this far…"
Then they joined voices again for the first two lines, and it was his part to sing the last lines alone, kings and vagabonds… damn he'd felt like both in his time, "And can you feel the love tonight?
How it's laid to rest?
It's enough to make kings and vagabonds
Believe the very best…"
He looked at her and smiled as they sang the last two lines together, repeating the chorus again, "It's enough to make kings and vagabonds…
Believe… the… very… best…"
They turned fully from each other and faced the audience, enjoying that ultimate compliment of stunned silence before the crash of applause burst over them like a wave. Before it died entirely Rachel announced the rest of the club, "Ladies and gentlemen, New Directions!"
They exchanged their hand held mikes for the head pieces and took their places for Still Standing. No matter what, they'd nailed the first song. No one else could touch them.
Prom, Nationals, Graduation, college acceptance letters, packing, moving… He never wanted to move again.
No point bringing his truck to New York. He wouldn't have any place to park it. Better to sell it and use the money for supplies and all the other things he'd need. Thank God for scholarships and grants and Rachel's Dads who put him in touch with some of their contacts.
He hadn't gotten into Julliard, which honestly was fine by him. NYU was good enough for him. It had a school of the arts and a good business program. And a decent law program too. He'd sat down and figured out what he was good at, what he liked, and what he figured wouldn't make him tear his hair out as a career. And getting a good education in business and contract law would set him up pretty well to work as an agent. LeRoy had reminded him that entertainment law was also a good field to learn.
So his first order of business was to read every damn book he could get and test out of as many basic classes as he could. Scholarships would pay for courses and grants would pay for books and housing, and if he absolutely had to, he could do a student loan for one or two semesters. The more classes he tested out of the more money he had for the courses he'd need.
"Noah, take your nose out of the book for a moment and look out the window," Rachel poked him in the side and he looked up with a grin.
"Damn…" Yeah, New York was impressive looking. Rachel bit her lip, she was getting nervous again. Time for him to take care of his main duty. A kiss to that sweet mouth and she was smiling again. Hiram and LeRoy had found him an apartment in the same building as Rachel, and the job as an assistant superintendent. If he'd keep an eye on their daughter and not let her make herself crazy. "Hey Rae, don't worry. New York has nothing on you."
"What if I just…don't succeed," Rachel worried softly.
"Hey," He kissed her. "You got early acceptance to Julliard. Thanks to you, we won Nationals. You kicked my ass into gear. Broadway had better step back and prepare because there's no one like you Rachel Berry." He kissed her again, "And in fifteen years, when you're accepting your second Tony and you've got a Grammy for best album, I'll accept your homemade snickerdoodles as payoff of the bet."
"Noah, you're insane," But she was laughing, which had been his goal.
Still, the snickerdoodles tasted even better, cuddling with his wife and looking at the four awards on the mantle of their brownstone.
Author's Note: Okay folks. That's it! I hope you enjoyed. I'm not going to do an epilogue of 'where are they now' because I figure you could decide for yourselves where people would end up or you could go with the canon choices, barring Rachel and Puck.
Everybody stay safe and healthy.
