Blaine was excited to see the New Directions' performance. He and The Warblers had watched their past performances for intel and they were good. Rumor had it they'd had to completely scrap their setlist at last year's sectionals and they had still won. Sure, they'd been up against a deaf choir and one full of juvenile delinquents, but their lead female soloist had performed Don't Rain on My Parade perfectly and their rendition of You Can't Always Get What You Want was heartfelt and emotional.
He was practically vibrating in his seat as the lights dimmed and the music started.
A band was lit from behind, their silhouettes dark against the sheer curtain at the back of the stage and a lone figure stood at the front, head down and hands clasping a mic stand. As they began singing a single spotlight illuminated them.
It was Kurt.
"Blackbird singing in the dead of night
Take these broken wings and learn to fly
All your life
You were only waiting for this moment to arise."
His voice was high and lilting, matching his speaking voice. But Blaine was surprised, it sounded like Kurt was a true countertenor. He was kind of regretting telling Kurt to confront his bully instead of telling him to enroll in Dalton. Steep tuition or not, The Warblers would kill to have a countertenor.
A group of guys entered from stage left, forming a line behind Kurt, vocalising and harmonising as he continued to sing. It was almost Acapella, if you took away the soft guitar and percussion.
"Blackbird singing in the dead of night
Take these sunken eyes and learn to see"
The girls began to enter from stage right, adding even more harmonies to the song making it swell and fill the room. They wove in between the guys on the stage until they ended up boy, girl, boy, girl as best they could with the odd numbers.
"All your life
You were only waiting for this moment to be free.
Blackbird fly, blackbird fly
Into the light of a dark black night"
As Kurt sung the chorus an Asian boy and blonde girl danced out from the middle of the line and began dancing a beautiful slow foxtrot, looking almost as if they were blackbirds flying across the stage, and their costumes certainly helped to portray that message. All the boys were dressed in pure black while the girls' dresses had skirts of layered tulle that almost looked like feathers.
"Blackbird fly, blackbird fly
Into the light of a dark black night"
The music softened and the lights started to darken, before the music and vocalisations began to swell again and the spotlight focused on the couple flying across the stage.
"Blackbird singing in the dead of night
Take these broken wings and learn to fly
All your life
You were only waiting for this moment to arise
You were only waiting for this moment to arise
You were only waiting for this moment to arise"
As the band played a few beats to link the song to the next Blaine felt his heart swell with something akin to pride for his sort-of friend. They hadn't talked much since he went to McKinley to help confront Karofsky with Kurt and Erin but Blaine couldn't wait to no longer be rival choirs so he could start talking to the boy again. He'd never felt like this before, he wasn't sure what he was feeling, but he certainly wanted to explore it.
Whoever won this competition, be it him and The Warblers, or Kurt and the New Directions, Blaine knew he would be texting Kurt on the way back to Dalton.
Erin
Erin felt jittery, standing on the far right of the stage as Blackbird seamlessly morphed into I Will.
"Who knows how long I've loved you," Sam sang from stage left as he strolled towards Erin across the stage.
"You know I love you still," Erin sang back, also strolling across the stage and meeting him in the middle.
"Will I wait a lonely lifetime," Sam sang.
"If you want me to, I will," Erin responded, and the two continued strolling as they sang until they ended up on the opposite sides of the stage to their starting positions.
The song was as suggestive of a relationship as all the duets they've sung together and when she'd listened to it on youtube after school on the day Mr. Schue had chosen it she'd almost dropped out of the duet. She was fed up with everyone thinking her and Sam were a couple simply because they were a boy and a girl who were friends. Real life isn't 'When Harry Met Sally'. Friends of the opposite gender didn't always get together at the end of the story. If that was true gay guys and lesbians would never have friends of the same sex and bisexuals wouldn't have friends, period.
Sure, Sam was definitely good looking, and sure, they got along really well, and sure, they shared similar nerdy interests and could talk for hours about things like comic books and Doctor Who. But she, well, firstly she wasn't entirely sure she was ready for a relationship. Hell, she wasn't even entirely sure what her sexuality was. And secondly, the part of her that did imagine what it would be like to go out with Sam was almost completely drowned out by the anxiety riddled thoughts of losing him as a friend if she did. She couldn't bear that. No, she was content to just be his friend, even if his goofy grin had made her heart race… no, that was just nerves. Nothing more than pre-performance nerves.
"For if I ever saw you
I didn't catch your name,"
"But it never really mattered
I will always feel the same."
As they sang the chorus the rest of the New Directions joined in harmony and Mike and Brittany did a slow 60s style dance in the center of the stage.
"Love you forever and forever
Love you with all my heart
Love you whenever we're together
Love you when we're apart,"
"And when at last I find you
Your song will fill the air," Erin sang as she and Sam strolled back towards each other weaving between Mike and Brittany dancing.
"Sing it loud so I can hear you," Sam responded.
"Make it easy to be near you,"
"For the things you do endear you to me," Erin and the New Directions harmonised as Sam sung 'endear you to me' and they all continued to harmonise and sing together as they finished the verse.
"You know I will
I will"
The New directions whistled and vocalised the tune as Mike and Brittany danced center stage. Before Sam and Erin sung the chorus once more.
"Love you forever and forever
Love you with all my heart
Love you whenever we're together
Love you when we're apart"
"And when at last I find you
Your song will fill the air" Sam sung this time, and Erin responded.
"Sing it loud so I can hear you"
"Make it easy to be near you"
"For the things you do endear you to me." Once again the New Directions joined in.
"You know I will
I will
You know I will
I will
You know I will
I will"
As they all repeated the last line they got to their places for the next song, the jazz band leading one song seamlessly into the next.
"Desmond has a barrow in the marketplace" Santana sang from the front of stage left as she danced a simple jive with Mike.
"Molly is the singer in a band," Puck responded from stage right where he was dancing the same choreography with Brittany.
"Desmond says to Molly, "Girl, I like your face""
"And Molly says this as she takes him by the hand"
Puck and Brittany and Santana and Mike danced towards the centre of the stage before swapping partners as the New Directions joined in on the chorus and Santana and Puck joined the rest of the group in clapping as Brittany and Mike did a more complicated Jive at the front of the stage.
"Ob-la-di, ob-la-da
Life goes on, brah
La, la, la, la life goes on
Ob-la-di, ob-la-da
Life goes on, brah
La, la, la, la life goes on"
The rest of the New Directions did simple versions of iconic 60s dances like The Twist and the Mashed Potato on the risers. Their choreography was minimal compared to Mike and Brittany, but the song was fun and upbeat and didn't require anything too exciting or even too coordinated from the rest of the group. They simply had to look as though they were having fun, which wasn't a hard task since they were.
The song continued in much the same way, the New Directions harmonising and vocalising behind Puck and Santana as they traded lines through the verses and bridge, everyone singing during the choruses while Mike and Brittany did an impressive Jive.
The audience were all on their feet by the end, clapping to the beat and singing along.
"And if you want some fun
Sing Ob-la-di-bla-da."
The audience gave a loud cheer, a standing ovation, and the New Directions were on a performance high as they left the stage.
OMND
Apparently Blaine had sought out Kurt once again during the break between The New Directions' performance and the results because there they were, sitting next to each other backstage, laughing up a storm.
"...And Rachel seriously thought no-one knew!" Kurt was saying, "I swear, the drama in this group will be the death of me."
"The most drama the Warblers have had was when they were trying to find a new lead at the beginning of this year." Blaine said, shaking his head, "I'm almost glad we're not a co-ed team, but I do have to say the Warblers can be a bit restrictive and stuck in their ways." He paused. "So I was wondering if..."
"Fraternizing with the enemy, Kurt?" Erin asked, walking over to the pair and throwing a smirk in Kurt's direction as she leant against the wall. Kurt rolled his eyes.
"We're just catching up," Kurt replied, "What with the wedding, Thanksgiving, the move, and preparing for Sectionals we haven't talked in a while."
"So you're spilling the New Directions goss?" Erin asked, "I mean, sure, it's super entertaining, but couldn't The Warblers use it against us?" She continued in a joking tone.
"In the 10 minutes before the results are announced?" Kurt joked back, "I don't think even Jesse St. James would be able to do that!"
"I was just telling Kurt how good you all were." Blaine piped up, a small smile on his face as he looked at Kurt, "All songs off The White Album, right?"
Erin nodded.
"And the drama surrounding the week has certainly reflected it." She laughed and Blaine nodded in understanding, eyes wide. "I was almost certain Rachel was about to actually walk out on us once or twice." She turned to Kurt, "I assume she's always been this dramatic?"
Kurt gave a twinkling laugh, head thrown back, and Erin saw Blaine's expression morph into one of admiration, eyes going soft and a smile tugging at his lips. Huh.
"Rachel Berry is never not dramatic." Kurt replied.
The lights began to flicker and a couple of stage hands worked their way around the people milling about backstage, telling them it was time for the results to be announced.
"Well," Erin said, grabbing Kurt's hand, "That's our cue to leave. Break a leg!"
"Break a leg," Blaine repeated and as she turned Erin felt his eyes follow them as they made their way to the rest of the New Directions.
OMND
The curtain lifted.
"And now, this year's head judge, associate director of the Ohio Department of Motor Vehicles, Mr. Pete Sosnowski!" A man announced over the PA system.
The audience clapped politely as the judge stood at the front of the stage. As he talked about organ donor cards, Erin's heart was beating out of her chest. She still hadn't let go of Kurt's hand, and next to her Sam grabbed her other one. His hand was sweaty, or was it her's? Either way she could feel the nervous excitement that filled the stage.
"In third place…" The judge began, opening the envelope in what felt like slow motion. "The Hipsters!"
Everyone clapped politely as a little old lady accepted the smallest trophy.
"And now, the winner of this year's West-Central Sectionals…"
Once again, the judge seemed to move in slow motion as he opened the envelope and scanned the notecard. Erin swallowed against the lump in her throat, her skin got goosebumps, and her legs began to shake with nerves. Next to her Kurt's fingers tightened around her hand, and Sam's arm was shaking.
"Is…"
He paused again and Erin felt like screaming. Next to Sam, Mercedes had her eyes closed and seemed to be muttering a prayer to herself clutching onto Sam's free hand tightly. The tension in the air could be cut by a knife.
"...It's a tie!" The judge finished, and everyone blinked at each other in confusion, their tense shoulders falling.
"Congratulations! You're all going to the regionals!"
Chaos erupted on the New Directions side of the stage, everyone whooping and cheering while The Warblers were more subdued in their celebrations, shaking hands with each other and Mr. Schue. The two Choirs couldn't be more different.
Erin had her arms around both Kurt and Sam's shoulders, up on her tiptoes as she cheered with the rest of them. But she couldn't help but notice Kurt's far away look directed to the other side of the stage.
OMND
"You can still go out with him, if you want." Erin whispered in the quiet of the bus back to McKinley. Everyone had split off it to twos or threes, chatting excitedly but sleepily with each other, the high of the performance and subsequent win fading to exhaustion.
"I don't want." Kurt denied.
"You'd make a cute couple." Erin pushed, because while she didn't know him well Blaine certainly looked handsome next to Kurt. "He looks like someone straight out of old Hollywood."
"He's still our competition, Erin." Kurt reminded her, "We tied. I think that's probably the Universe's way of telling us not to go out with each other. Do you know how rare it is for two show choirs to tie?"
"I thought you didn't believe in all that fate, destiny, signs from the universe shit." Erin laughed, "You like him, he obviously likes you, why not go out?"
"You like Sam and Sam likes you, why don't you go out?" Kurt reflected.
"Because we like each other as friends." Erin insisted, resisting the urge to turn and look over at Sam who was sitting in the back of the bus with Puck, Quinn, Santana, and Brittany. "Whereas Blaine 100% likes you as more than that, you were obviously oblivious to the way he looked at you like you hung the moon and the stars."
Kurt looked at her incredulously, his eyes darting to the back of the bus, then back to Erin before he rolled his eyes and shook his head.
"He's our competition, I'm going to stay friends with him, but I can't let myself catch feelings." Kurt insisted, "If I did start going out with him and it ended the way Rachel and Jesse did…"
He trailed off, looking dejected.
"I seriously doubt he's the type to throw eggs at someone." Erin pointed out.
"Just drop it, Erin." Kurt insisted and she did. There was a slightly tense pause before Kurt started rambling on about the gossip surrounding the new Spider-man musical that had begun previews just last week. She knew he was just trying to distract her, but he certainly knew her weak spots. She let it drop.
Monday 6th December 2010"You said you'd never break up with me!" Erin heard Rachel shout as she turned a corner, she stayed where she was as she watched Finn turn around and look at Rachel with disappointment clear on his face.
"I never thought you'd make me feel like this." Finn told her in a choked voice before turning and walking away.
Erin backed back around the corner and leant against the wall, fishing her phone from her pocket and quickly typing out a text to the New Directions gossip group chat.
Just witnessed the end of an Era - EB
Finchel is dead - EB
Fuck - Puck
OMND
"Congratulations guys!" Mr. Schue said as he entered the Choir room, their trophy aloft. The New Directions were all surrounding the piano, happy and content with their tie, though they definitely would have preferred an actual win. Despite the happiness surrounding the group there was also a tension, Rachel and Finn were as far away from each other as they could possibly be and Rachel was looking uncharacteristically solemn for having just advanced to Regionals.
"It wasn't pretty but we're moving on!" Everyone cheered as Mr. Schue handed the trophy to Artie. "And I for one am going to be happy to have Regionals and Nationals to focus on."
Mr. Schue looked almost as solemn as Rachel. And Erin kind of understood why, according to the gossip around McKinley Miss Pilsbury was no longer Miss Pillsbury, having married Dr. Carl over the weekend.
As if reading Erin's mind Santana spoke.
"Mr. Schue, we heard the news about Miss Pillsbury marrying the finest dentist alive."
"It's all right," Mr. Schue said with a sad tone, "We don't need to talk about it." He cleared his throat and stood taller, shaking off his listlessness, "Now! I know there's been some drama this week but our family's back in a happy place."
The New Directions all looked between Finn and Rachel.
"I think we should celebrate the best way we know how!" Mr. Schue looked to Rachel, "Rachel, so how would you like to solo?"
Rachel looked almost shocked at the question, a complete contrast to how she would have looked even a few hours ago at the prospect of leading a performance. She shook her head.
"Thanks, but um, I don't really feel like a solo right now." It was a testament to how much the break-up was affecting her that she wasn't jumping at the chance to perform.
Erin wasn't really sure why, exactly, Rachel was quite so despondent. Sure, the oft proclaimed love of her life had dumped her, but she had cheated on him with Puck. And, well, what had she expected Finn to do? The Santana thing had happened when they hadn't even been dating! Erin would never understand people who cheated to get back at a significant other, it was just petty.
"I'd like to defer it to the unsung heroes of the week. Mercedes, Tina, and Quinn."
The three shared a smile across the piano.
"Well, you don't have to ask me twice!" Mercedes said and the group made their way to the auditorium with high spirits, though Rachel kind of trailed behind them, a sad smile on her lips.