A/N: So, like the summary said, this "story" is just a series of alternates scenes for Sectionals from Book 2 of my To Dream a Dream story (in Chapter 12). I had sooo many ideas for how it could have played out that I decided to write them down. Since I took the time to write them, I figured I'd share them. Some are using the same songs, but with slight differences. Some are meant to be funny. Some are meant to be sad. All are meant to be entertaining.
I combined two scenes in this "chapter" because they both use the same song.
Alternate Scene 1:
"Okay folks, there's been a new…development. There's been a tie. However, we were told that there were too many ties already in the area, so….we need a tie breaker. Two teams will be given another song to sing. This time, there will be no prep time. No rehearsing. You'll be given your song on stage and sing it immediately. If you can't, you forfeit. If you refuse, you forfeit. The tie is between The Warblers and the New Directions."
Excited chatter breaks out among the two groups and their families. Rachel grins widely. Another chance to sing! The two teams head up onto the stage and the MC faces them.
"Alright, since there's no rehearsal time, you'll just have to pick one person on your team that is most likely to be able to sing whatever song is handed to them."
Rachel looks at her team to find every single member looking back at her. She bites down a smile, trying to be humble.
"You up for this? Be honest, Tink. If you're not it'll mean we lose." Kurt whispers in her ear.
She glares at him. "I'm well aware of that, Pan. I wouldn't risk us losing, no matter how much I want to sing. I'm good. I'm ready. I promise."
He grins and kisses her cheek. "Just checking. Knock 'em dead."
She smirks and walks forward to join Blaine, who is already standing by the MC. The MC claps his hands. "Wonderful! Now we can get started. Now, for you two, I'm going to have you pick a song out of a hat. When you're not singing you'll sit on a stool off stage. So don't go far. Once you pick a song there is no changing it. The song you pick is the song you sing. If you truly can't or won't, you can pass it off to a teammate. However, you will be deducted points for that. And if the person you choose can't or won't, then you forfeit. We will flip a coin to determine who will go first."
The two teens nod their understanding. Rachel isn't worried. She can sing anything. Looking at Blaine, she knows that's true for him as well. What it really comes down to is how well matched they are to the song they happen to pick. The MC flips a coin and Rachel wins, so she goes first. Blaine kisses her cheek and follows his team off stage.
"Oh, you two are friends!"
Rachel grins. "Yeah, we are."
She picks a song out of the hat and stares at it. The words seem to float off the small paper, mocking her.
Xxxxx
Shelby frowns. She doesn't like the look on Rachel's face as she reads the song on the paper. She watches her daughter turn back to her team. The New Directions quickly form a clump around her. Their hushed voices float down from the stage, but no words can be made out. Shelby's frown deepens when Kurt turns sharply and marches off stage, his face tense. She and Burt trade worried glances. Other members of the team are now shaking their heads and making their way off stage. Rachel stands still, holding the paper, and watching them walk away.
"Please."
It's the only word she can make out. The kids hesitantly turn back to Rachel. Shelby wishes she could hear the rest of what her daughter is saying to them. She watches them shift uncomfortably, eyes down. Noah Puckerman stomps off stage only to return a moment later with a guitar and a stool, which he places next to the one that's already there. He sits with a deep scowl on his face. Rachel kisses his cheek and his face softens. Then she steps up to Santana and talks to her. Shelby watches several emotions flicker across the Latina's face before she settles on resignation. Rachel kisses her cheek as well, then takes Finn's arm and the rest leave the stage. Santana sits on the second stool next to Noah. Noah takes Santana's hand and squeezes it before positioning his guitar better. Santana does not look happy. At all. Then Shelby realizes that Rachel wasn't just walking off stage, she was heading down into the audience. She sits up straighter. Rachel walks up the aisle biting her lip. Burt stands and Shelby starts to, but Rachel waves her back down. Shelby is concerned and confused when Rachel sits on her lap and presses her cheek against Shelby's. Shelby wraps her arms around her daughter and holds her tight. Burt retakes his seat.
"You okay?"
Rachel nods. "I'm here to make sure you're okay."
Shelby opens her mouth to question her further but stops when Santana starts singing. Noah joins in on guitar.
"If I die young, bury me in satin
Lay me down on a bed of roses
Sink me in the river at dawn
Send me away with the words of a love song"
Shelby's stomach plummets and her heart freezes. She squeezes Rachel tighter.
"Lord make me a rainbow I'll shine down on my mother
She'll know I'm safe with you
When she stands under my colors
Life ain't always what you think it oughta be, no
Ain't even gray but she buries her baby
The sharp knife or a short life
I've had just enough time"
Shelby shudders and cries while holding her baby tight. She hates that they're singing this song but is glad Rachel not only turned down singing it herself, but thought to sit with her through it. She'd be a complete wreck if she couldn't be holding her right now. She watches tears slip down Santana's cheeks and her heart goes out to the girl. Burt reaches over and takes one of Rachel's hands. He doesn't look at her but his eyes are shiny. The rest for ND return to stage and stand a ways behind Santana and Noah. They sing in the background. None of the kids, or any of their parents, are dry eyed by the end. Once the final note is over, Noah spins his guitar onto his back and pulls Santana into his arms. He walks her off stage while she cries.
"Looks like I owe her an ice cream." Rachel mutters quietly.
Shelby laughs wetly. "You owe her more than that, princess." Her voice is rough.
Rachel cranes her neck so she can look at her better. "Can I invite her over for ice cream and a movie tonight?"
"Absolutely. Invite all of them."
She'll serve them however much ice cream they want.
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Alternate Scene 2:
Rachel sits alone on a stool on stage staring at the little paper in her hand. "If I Die Young" by the Band Perry. She folds it back up and takes a breath. Can she sing it? Yes. Should she? No. But she doesn't want to forfeit and she knows no one on her team will be willing to sing it. She doesn't know what to do. Make them suffer listening to her sing this song, but they'll most likely win and get to move on. Or forfeit. They won't suffer but they'll also lose. She bites her lip and looks down at the innocently folded paper in her hands. Footsteps draw her attention. She lifts her head. Finn is walking towards her. He stops a few feet away and puts his hands in his pockets casually.
"Hey."
She grins a little shakily. "Hey."
He jerks his head off stage. "Apparently there's a burger joint down the road that has good burgers and shakes. We're gonna go."
She looks at him carefully, trying to read him. "Now?"
He gives an easy grin. "Yeah, now." He nods to the paper in her hands. "If you were going to sing, you'd already be singing. You're not. That's cool. We don't care and Puck is hungry. So let's go."
He holds out his hand to her. She stares at it, still feeling torn. She looks past him to side stage. Sure enough, her teammates are already pulling on coats and loosening ties. They look relaxed and without a care in the world. They truly don't mind her forfeiting for them. Brittany notices her watching them and gives her a happy smile and waves her hand in a "come on" gesture. She has never given up on anything in her life. But…is this really giving up? Maybe she needs to look at it differently. This is…..putting her loved ones first. That's what this is. So despite her watering eyes, she smiles and takes Finn's hand. As they walk she hands him the song paper. He looks at it and comes to a halt, color draining from his face. Finn tears the paper into tiny pieces and lets them scatter on the stage. He retakes her hand and walks her off stage without another word. From the corner of her eye she spies her mother hurrying out the side door.
