Chapter 19- Dream on:
"Okay, guys, listen up." Mr Schue says, "This is Mr Ryan. He's a member of the school board, and he would like to say a few words." Mr Schue says in a monotone voice, "I-I just want you guys to listen critically and know that what he's saying is just one of many opinions."
"Take out a piece of paper." Bryan says, the new directions all take out a piece of paper, "And on that paper, I want you to write down your biggest dream. A dream that means so much, you're afraid to admit it even to yourself." Bryan walks over to Artie and scrunches up his paper, and throws it into the bin, "Your dream is never going to happen. 91% of you will spend your entire lives living in Allen County, Ohio. So, unless you wrote down that your dream was to 'work for a mid-market health insurance provider' or 'find an entry level job in an elderly care facility' you're going to be very disappointed."
"This is really depressing." Mercedes mutters.
"I'm going to guess that a lot of your dreams involve 'showbiz'." Bryan says and Kurt and Rachel look at each other, "Well, showbiz dreams are the most unrealistic of them all."
"But… that's what I want to do with my life." Tina says.
"Oh, look, I'm not trying to hurt your feelings, I'm just trying to spare you disappointment." Bryan says.
"I think we get your point." Mr Schue says.
"Ah, well, Schuester here's a prime example." Bryan says, "He used to have that glimmer of hope in his eyes that I can see right now in all of yours. But he couldn't make it happen for himself, so he now has to try and convince you all that it will happen for you. Guess what? His dream didn't work out. And neither will yours."
Tina start crying, "Okay, you're done here." Mr Schue says.
"You wouldn't be wise to show me some respect." Bryan says.
"You've said your piece." Mr Schue says, "Now get out."
"Well, Schuester, I should thank you." Bryan says, "You've made my decision about which program to cut a lot easier." Bryan leaves and Mr Schue sighs.
"Mr Schue?" Rachel asks, "Was he being serious."
"No." Mr Schue says, "You're all free to go now." The kids all quietly get up and leave, shocked.
Santana and Blaine walk down the hall, "I'll be fine-"
"I'm walking you to class." Blaine says interrupting Santana, "And we have the same class."
"AND we promised we'd protect you." Quinn says joining the pair.
Santana laughs, "I don't need protecting. My parents are accepting with it, our abuela wasn't happy at all, and I'm not going near your dad." Santana says to Blaine.
"I don't blame you." Blaine mumbles.
The three enter their class, "Ooh, it's the lesbian!" Azimio yells.
"If you'd like me to inform this class and the rest of the school about, I saw you and Karof-"
"Okay." Azimio says quickly, interrupting Blaine, "Sorry." He mumbles.
Blaine, Quinn and Santana sit at the back of the class, "What did you see?" Quinn whispers to Blaine.
"I don't like to out people." Blaine whispers back, and Santana and Quinn share a look.
"Okay, everyone take your seats, please." Mr Robertson, the English teacher, says in his classic monotone voice.
"Mr Robertson, I'm not sitting next to the lesbian." May, a bitchy cheerio, says. Blaine glares at her.
Mr Robertson frowns, "I don't- just sit down, Miss Jenkins. We need to start."
"But I don't want to catch anything." May argues, "They carry diseases." Blaine clenches his fist, and Santana grabs onto his forearm.
"Miss Jenkins!" Mr Robertson says, raising his voice, "Just sit down. Or I'll call Figgins."
May groans before slowly turning around and heading to the back, as she approaches the table, Blaine puts his foot out and trips May up. The class erupt into laughter, "Watch out." Blaine says innocently. May glares at Blaine before sitting down.
"Thank you." Santana whispers to Blaine, with a smirk on her face, Blaine smiles at her.
X-X-X-X-X
Tina walks into the library to see Artie struggling to reach a book on a shelf. She walks over and takes the book off the shelf and hands it to him, "Thanks." Artie says.
"Godard on Godard?" Tina asks looking at the book.
"He was the master of the French new wave." Artie says, "I was figuring that since I'm never going to become a star as a performer, maybe I could become one behind the camera. Did you know Christopher Reeve directed a movie after his accident?" Tina shakes her head, "In the gloaming."
"Didn't see it." Tina says.
"Oh, me neither. Too depressing." Artie says.
"Is that what you wrote as your dream?" Tina asks, sitting across from Artie.
"Before Bryan Ryan crumpled it up and tossed it in the trash?" Artie asks, "Yes."
"Why are living to me?" Tina asks, Artie frowns, "After everybody left, I went back for my book bag, and something stopped me."
"That was supposed to be private." Artie says.
"I don't understand you." Tina says, "You're always talking about wanting to get with me, but you won't be honest hope and dreams."
"I'm in a wheelchair, but I'm still a guy." Artie says, "What's the difference? I'm never going to actually become a dancer. My legs are never going work again. It was stupid."
"I was thinking." Tina says, "Mr Schue is so busy dealing with Bryan Ryan that he didn't give us an assignment for the week. So, why don't we do one on our own. A dance number."
"You want to dance with me?" Artie asks with a smile.
Tina nods, "You were pretty hot in proud Mary. Why don't we try and kick it up a few notches?"
Artie laughs, "Deal." They shake hands, and Tina kisses him on the cheek.
X-X-X-X-X
Rachel is in the dance room practicing, she turns to see Jesse, "Hi." Jesse says when Rachel sees him.
"Hi." Rachel says, "How was your spring break?"
"Good." Jesse says, "It's good to be back. What were you just rehearing?"
"A guy came to glee club to talk to us about dreams." Rachel says, "Luckily, I've known mine since I was four. I'm going to play three parts on Broadway, Evita, Funny girl, and Lourey in Oklahoma. I was just practicing her dream ballet with Curly. It's what I do when I'm feeling a little stressed."
"That's not a dream." Jesse says, "A dream is something that fills up the emptiness inside. The one thing that you know if it came true, all the hurt would go away. You singing, Don't Cry for me Argentina, in front of a sold-out crowd, isn't a fantasy. It's an inevitability." Rachel smiles and Jesse chuckles. Rachel hugs him.
"I thought you'd never come back." Rachel mumbles against Jesse.
"And miss all your drama?" Jesse asks, "Never." The bell rings, so the couple leave and walk down the hall, hand in hand, "So, what is it, your dream?"
"I don't know." Rachel says.
"Well, then go inside, find it and ask it what it's gonna take." Jesse says.
"Why are you pushing this?" Rachel asks, laughing.
"Because you're my girlfriend." Jesse says, "And I want to know all your secrets. When you lie awake at night, what's missing?"
Rachel falls silent for a few seconds, "My mom."
"Your mom?" Jesse asks with a slight smirk, "You mean like you want to meet her?"
"I just would like to know who she is." Rachel says, "I don't really need to meet her or anything, but maybe just find out her name or… something about her." Jesse nods, "It's silly. It's not like it's going to happen or anything."
"Why?" Jesse asks.
"Well, just because my dads never told me anything." Rachel says, "And I didn't want to ask them anything cause I didn't want to hurt their feelings."
"So, let's check it out without them knowing." Jesse says, "Do you know why I came back to school here? To win another national title and make all your dreams come true. If this is one of them, then I'm not going to stop until it happens."
Rachel smiles, "Thanks." They continue down the hall to their first classes.
X-X-X-X-X
Tina and Artie are in the choir room practicing their dance routine. They attached metal plates to Artie's wheelchair, so it sounds like he's tap dancing like Artie. Artie wheels over to the piano and pauses the music, "My tap wheels suck." He says taking them off.
"I thought we sounded pretty good." Tina says out of breath.
"You did." Artie says, "I sound like someone put tape shoes on a horse and then shot it. Will you bring me those?" Artie asks pointing to the crutches, Tina walks over to them, "I borrowed them from John Hubner."
"The kid with cerebral palsy?" Tina asks, picking the crutches up.
"They're his extra pair." Artie says, "Help me get up on them."
"Have you ever used anything like these before?" Tina asks nervously.
"No, but I have superhuman upper body strength from using my wheelchair. If I can just get up, I think I can use my arms to get around the room." Tina looks hesitant, "Come on. You said we were going to kick it up a notch. Dreams aren't supposed to be easy." Tina puts Artie's feet on the floor and Artie pulls himself up, Tina helping him. He stands up with Tina's hands on his waist, "I'm going to try to take a step."
"Okay." Tina says with an encouraging smile. Artie moves his arms dragging his legs behind him, Tina still holding onto him, "Artie, you're doing it." Artie continues to do this until he trips and falls, "Are you okay?" Tina asks sitting next to Artie's body.
"Go away." Artie mumbles against the floor.
"Let me bring your chair over." Tina says going to get the chair.
"Just go… away." Artie says quietly, "You shouldn't have to done this to me. You pushed me to do this."
"I-I'm sorry." Tina says, her stutter coming back.
"Just go away, please." Artie says again. Tina gets up, bringing Artie's chair over before leaving.
X-X-X-X-X
"I found her." Rachel says to Jesse, who is finishing his classwork.
"Your mother?" Jesse asks, Rachel nods, "Where?"
"In the library." Rachel says, Jesse moves up a seat, and Rachel sits in his seat, "I've been researching her all morning, and as I suspected, my intuition has proven correct. My mother is Broadway legend Patti LuPone." Jesse frowns, "I've always had a deep connection to Miss LuPone, her choice of roles and songs. I decided to do a little math to see if her being my mother was even possible. I was born December 18, 1994. 1994 was a big year for mother. She was a sensation in Pal Joey. But that was in New York, I was born in Ohio, you say. Well, mother took many breaks from the show to tour with Mandy Patinkin. That April found them at the EJ Thomas Hall in Akron Ohio, for a standing room performance, nine months before I was born."
"Are you saying that your fathers impregnated Patti LuPone in the Marriott in Akron?" Jesse asks with a confused frown, "Was Mandy Patinkin in on this?"
"All you have to do is look at pictures of her in her performance in Master class in 1996. Look at the pain in her eyes and the hurt she's feeling from giving up her obviously talented little girl."
"One question." Jesse says, "What was in it for her?"
"Money, a sense of charity for those in need?" Rachel says, Jesse looks at Rachel with raised eyebrows, "I don't know. Guess you're right. Do you want to hear my research that proves that my mother is Bernadette Peters?"
"Why are you so afraid about finding the truth?" Jesse asks.
"I don't know, I guess I just don't want to think that my mother is some teenage trollop like Quinn, or worse, some skanky girl who would do anything for money, including giving me up."
"What does it have to be one of those choices?" Jesse asks, "Maybe she had a really good reason for doing what she did. We need to do a real investigation. Like CSI real. Do you have any baby stuff in your house, something that might give us a clue?"
"My fathers kept every piece of paper related to my life in files and cabinets in our basement." Rachel says, "It's sort of a little Rachel Berry Museum."
"Perfect." Jesse says, "We'll start there tonight." He smiles before leaving.
X-X-X-X-X
Artie is wheeling through the parking lot, "Hey." Tina says running up to Artie, "Sorry about yesterday."
"No, I'm sorry." Artie says looking up at Tina, "I do a pretty good job of being in denial about the hopelessness of my condition. I think I just kind of freaked out when I actually had to face it."
"Who says it's hopeless?" Tina says.
"Like, every doctor I've ever seen." Artie says. Tina walks in front of Artie stopping him.
"Maybe they're the wrong doctors." Tina says, "I went online and did some research about the new treatments on spinal cord injuries. Did you know that some doctors are implanting electrical stimulators in patients' bodies to recover hand movements?"
"My hands work." Artie says.
"They're just starting to develop the technology." Tina says, "But in a year, five years, who knows? And some scientists at UC San Diego were actually able to regenerate a rat's damaged spinal cord. There are hundreds of studies going on right now using stem cells. I guess I just wanted to tell you not to give up on your dream. If you can imagine it, it can come true." Artie smiles and they kiss.
X-X-X-X-X
"What took you so long? Your dads will be home soon." Jesse asks as Rachel enters with two boxes in her hands.
"There was so much stuff in the basement, it's like a shrine. It's creepy and flattering at the same time. But these boxes had the earliest dates on them, so…" Rachel gasps before smiling, "My baby teeth."
Jesse frowns, "Look." Jesse says showing Rachel a photo of her sonogram.
"Is that me?" Rachel asks excitedly.
"Looks like you." Jesse says, "Oh, I think you're in fifth position." Jesse points to her feet.
"Makes sense." Rachel says, "My dad says they used to play Vivaldi into my mother's belly." She smiles before continuing to look through her box, she gasps, "My first singing competition. I came in first place." She hands Jesse the trophies.
"You were eight months old." Jesse says looking at the trophies.
"I was very musically verbal." Rachel says, she continues to look through the box mumbling to herself. Jesse takes a tape out of his flannel pocket and puts it in his box.
"What's this?" Jesse asks taking the tape back out of the book, "From mother to daughter." Jesse reads.
"Oh, my god, she wrote this." Rachel says taking the tape from Jesse, "She-she held this in her hand." Jesse takes it from her walks over to the stereo, "Wh-what are you doing?"
"Playing the tape." Jesse says.
"No!" Rachel says stopping Jesse.
"Why not?" Jesse asks, "She wanted you to hear this."
"I-I'm not ready." Rachel says, "Look, this is all happening too fast. What if she's singing on the tape? What if she's terrible? Or worse, what if she's better than me?"
"I can't believe we're so close to your dream coming true, and you're running away from it." Jesse says.
"No." Rachel says, "It's, it's my choice. It's-it's my life, and… no, I'm-I'm not ready. Jesse, I think that you should go." Rachel takes the tape and sits on her bed. Jesse leaves the house and runs through the rain to Shelby's car in the next street over.
He gets in the car, soaking wet, and sits in the passenger seat, "She has the tape." Jesse says, "She won't listen to it."
"What?" Shelby asks, "She has to listen to it. That's the point of all this."
"I'm doing my best!" Jesse says, "Look, when you told me to seduce her-"
"Befriend her was the word I used, actually." Shelby says.
"Whatever. The thing is, I was into it because I thought it would be a good acting exercise, but now, I think I kind of like her. I don't want her to get hurt."
"Look, one more week, this will all be done, you can come back to vocal adrenaline where you belong." Shelby says.
"I don't understand why you don't just go up to her and say, 'hi, my name's Shelby. I'm your mom.'" Jesse says.
"I signed a contract." Shelby says, "I can't contact her until she's 18. She has to come to me. That's why she has to listen to the tape. Once she hears it, she won't be able to sleep until she finds me." Shelby falls silent, "I answered an ad in the paper. Nine months work here would make me enough money to live in New York for two years. Her dads seemed like nice guys, so I went for it. I never got to hold her. And I only saw her for a second when they were cleaning her off. It was through a bunch of nurses, but she turned her little head and she looked at me. I've failed as an actress. My walls are lined with trophies instead of wedding pictures, but through all of that… I only have one regret. You get her to listen to that tape." Jesse nods, and Shelby pulls out of her parking spot.
X-X-X-X-X
Emma sits down next to Artie, "You know, honestly, the only students that come to see me on a scheduled weekly basis are ones that have been diagnosed with psychological disorders, like a certain junior female that eats her own hair."
"When I start walking, I'm gonna need help emotionally adapting to my drastically altered lifestyle." Artie says.
"Walking?" Emma asks.
"There are all these new therapies of my condition." Artie says handing Emma and papers, "I figure if I try them all, one's bound to work.
Emma looks through the pile, "Um… you know Artie, I have, um… you know, I've read your file before." Emma says and Artie nods, "Um, the damage to your spinal cords pretty severe. Irreversible. I think you know that."
"I used to know that until I saw the research." Artie says.
"Do you know how long the testing process takes for medical protocols like this?" Emma asks, "At least ten years, and-and that's before they even start human trials. So, you know, these studies really aren't even in their infancies yet. Look, I-I truly believe that there's gonna be a doctor that finds a cure for what happened to you, but I… you know, I don't think that's gonna be for a while… a long while. You know what? Um… maybe for right. Maybe you should come see me once a week for a while."
"Thanks, Miss Pillsbury." Artie says wheeling out of the office.
"Don't forget your, um, papers." Emma says about to hand them to Artie, but he's already gone.
X-X-X-X-X
The new directions gather around as Bryan Ryan opens a box full of glee things, "Guys, I've got good news." Bryan says, "I siphoned off funds from the cheerios and I took a little shopping spree through the jazz hands catalogue. You know why? Cause the arts matter." Everyone share confused looks, "And I got custom-made new directions jean jackets." Kurt gets up and takes the jacket, "And some rad tearaway dancewear. Hello." Blaine and Santana get up to look to, "And every piece of sheet music from every Broadway show for the last 50 years. Everything a show choir needs to become champions."
"Wow, that's just amazing." Mr Schue says, "Let's all give a hand for Mr Ryan." The kids all clap, apart from Artie, who sits with his arms crossed.
"Congratulations, Will." Sue says entering the choir room, "I'm over the moon for you."
"Thanks, Sue. I'm glad you have a good attitude about your budget being cut." Mr Schue says.
"No, no. I'm not talking about that." Sue says, "I came over here to congratulate you on your new role. Local director, Herb Duncan, does the dry cleaning for the cheerios and he let it slip that you just landed the lead in Les Miz! Congratulations. Oh, I'm ecstatic. And good news just keeps coming, cause you got a part, too, Bry. The exciting role of townsperson. And you got a line, too. Way back here in the second act, you get to say… 'hooray'. Congratulations, both of you, really. I can't wait for opening night."
Bryan walks up to Kurt, and rips the jacket out of his hands, "Wait, Bryan-"
"Congratulations, Will." Bryan says, "You're going to be great in the show."
"Can we talk about this?" Mr Schue asks.
"Nothing to talk about." Bryan says, "I'm cutting the program." He takes the boxes and leaves.
X-X-X-X-X
Rachel enters her room from her bathroom, to see Jesse, "Jesse, what are you doing here?"
"I said that I was going to help you make your dreams come true." Jesse says holding up the tape.
"No." Rachel says approaching Jesse, "I'm not ready."
"Yes, you are." Jesse says, kissing Rachel. He starts the tape, then leaves her room.
"Hi, baby." A voice from the stereo says, "It's your mom. I think this pretty much says it all."
"I dreamed a dream in time gone by…"
During the recording Rachel joins in. When it's finished Rachel has tears streaming down her face. Jesse walks out to Shelby's car and gets in, "Has she heard it?"
"She's listening to it now." Jesse says.
"Good." Shelby says, "Now you can come back." Jesse looks sad but hides his face by looking out the window. Shelby pulls out the street, "Practice starts in 30 minutes, and you'll be there."
X-X-X-X-X
"Artie, please, think about this." Tina says kneeling in front of Artie's chair.
"I have." Artie says, "You've worked too hard on this routine to have half a partner. Fact is, any of the guys in there could dance my part better than without even rehearsing. Well, except Finn."
"But I want to dance with you." Tina says.
"I can't dance, and I never will. But… that's okay. I'm never going to dunk a basketball or lion either. I have to focus on dreams that I can make come true." Artie says, "I'm good, Tina. Really."
Tina nods before standing up, "Will you least sing the song?"
Artie nods, "Sure." The pair walk into the choir room and take their places. Mike, Matt and Puck are throwing a ball, and Mr Schue walks in and catches it.
"All right, guys, Tina has something that she wants to share with all of us, but first, I have an announcement to make." Mr Schue says, "You've all been reprieved. Bryan Ryan isn't cutting glee." The kids clap.
"Did he die?" Puck asks.
"No, he didn't die." Mr Schue says throwing the ball to Puck, "He, uh, is going to be distracted for a couple months making his star turn in Les Miz. He got the lead role."
"But I thought you got the lead." Quinn says.
"I resigned." Mr Schue says, "It was the price for keeping the club."
"Sorry you had to do that, Mr Schue." Finn says.
"I'm not." Mr Schue says, "You know, th-the way I see it, I'm trading my one dream for the chance that all 13 of you might find yours. I mean, come on, you can't argue with those numbers. So, let's start with Tina's dream. Come on up, Tina." The kids clap and her and Mr Schue high five, "Tina, I understand that you whipped up a little dance number for us, a breakout we might use at regionals."
"Yes." Tina says.
"You got a dance partner?" Mr Schue asks.
Tina looks at Artie before saying, "Mike Chang." The kids clap and cheer. Mike comes up to the front. The kids move to the auditorium and Mr Schue sits in the audience.
"Stars shining bright above you, night breezes seem to whisper, 'I love you'. Birds singing in the sycamore tree, dream a little dream of me…"