Here is Chapter 23. This is where the New Directions get ready for Regionals and Mr Schue tries to motivate them for the competition. He also learns of a nasty surprise for them. Also I have uploaded a short story called Even Death Can't Split Us Apart which is an alternative version of the Quarterback episode if you want to go and read it. Enjoy this chapter.

Chapter 23: Regionals Preparation.

Mr Schue's POV. (A few weeks later. The week before Regionals.)

This has been a very stressful year for everyone but in particular me. After all I have had the beginning of divorce proceedings with my wife which is taking away some of my attention from Glee and work. She went crazy when she thought that she was pregnant. Then finding that she wasn't and that instead she was planning to take Quinn Fabray's baby and claim that it was hers. It made me livid and it was the last straw and I left her. We have become the process for a divorce.

Then there was the situation of all the Photoshop scandal which seems to have rocked the whole school. It led to Quinn, Santana and Brittany heading to Juvy but now they are back. Let's say that it was not well taken by some members of the Glee Club.

Brittany decided to come out and returned to Glee quicker than the other two. She admitted that she was wrong and that she is sorry for what she had done and that she wanted to return to Glee. The rest of the group accepted that. Santana and Quinn remain away. I'm not surprised at all if I'm being honest. Santana has always had problems with members of the group and Quinn is too proud to accept that we are the only people that are willing to help her at the moment. She probably wishes that we just leave her alone. But she did betray the group.

We are now preparing for Regionals now and we have been working hard at it for the past few weeks. We are planning a Journey medley for our competition but the kids feel that they aren't going to win. I think that they feel that Vocal Adrenaline is mightily superior and that they feel that they are going to lose. But I believe in them more than they do. They need to compete hard and just believe in themselves and maybe we might have a chance of placing and keeping the club going.

The New Directions are currently going through another rehearsal but they just send of a vibe that something isn't right. I stop the rehearsal.

Mr Schue: "Guys. Stop, stop, stop. I just feel that something isn't right. What is wrong?"

Tina: "We just feel that no matter what we do. We are just waiting to be slaughtered."

Artie: "We are going to lose and then the club will be over and then we will just be completely humiliated."

Matt: "It isn't right when we see others, talking about their dreams that they are going to achieve and we aren't ever going to achieve them. It's not fair."

Mr Schue: "You are all so down on yourselves. Have you really got little faith in yourselves? Do you know that I had dreams myself that I failed to realise. As your teacher, I want you to help achieve your dreams and then become proud with what you all achieve because I know what it is like to not make it."

Finn: "What dreams were they Mr Schue?"

Mr Schue: "I wanted to make it as a singer. I had the talent and the ambition but I kept getting the door shoved in my face. I don't want that to happen to you guys. This is your chance and I want you to be able to look at me and tell me that you have made it. This is the first step. Am I clear?"

New Directions: "Yes."

Mr Schue: "Let's do this. From the top."

We continue our rehearsals and it seems that my message has got them ready and willing for the competition. It seems that we are ready for anything that the competition is willing to throw at them.

After rehearsals, everyone heads home whereas I am heading to the lawyers. I hope to potentially get the decree nisi to get the divorce proceedings underway. I now need to get out of my toxic poisonous marriage. The baby drama and lying was the final straw.

The proceeding went by very well. We got an agreement but now it is to look to the future. The decree absolute will come through in a couple of months and then I will be free to marry again. It is good that this is almost over now.

The one thing that I did learn from this year more than anything is that you should learn to trust in other people can be shattered in moments with lies and dishonesty. That is why Glee is successful, people learn to trust each other and get their differences out between them.

But now it is to focus on Regionals and make sure that there is a club for my Glee kids to compete for next year. All we need to do is place at Regionals and we should be fine.

Though the way that this year has been, it will be a struggle. Stop having negative thoughts Schuester. Everything is going to be okay.

Rachel's POV.

Mr Schuester's words about having not been able to achieve his dreams really did inspire us. We need to be able to believe that we can do it and I need to prove that I can get out of here and get to New York. That is my dream and I need to achieve it.

But Regionals is less than a week away now and everything is starting to get real. Puck has been stressed out of his head after Quinn's due date is coming a lot closer but in one moment after Glee, he told me that he wanted to give the baby's name. Beth.

Everyone though is panicking because Becky has gone down with the flu and it is unclear whether we are going to be able to Regionals because we don't have enough members to compete if she isn't able to compete.

I am at my locker where I see Quinn and Santana waiting for me. What now?

Santana: "What is up Dwarf? Counting down the days before your Glee Club threatened suicide?"

Quinn: "And I'm still prettier than you even with this baby inside me."

Rachel: "What has happened to you two? I thought that Juvy would have sorted you two out but clearly not. Quinn we were the only people who supported you when you were pregnant and you stabbed us in the back and Santana, you said yourself that Glee was the best part of your day so why did you change?"

Santana: "Because Hobbit, everyone just pretends to like you and that you are nicking of the solos from everyone makes us wonder how you haven't made the connection that no one likes you."

Rachel: "Not true. Everyone in Glee likes me when I stood up and told the truth about your lie Quinn."

Quinn: "When this baby comes out Stubbles, I'll be back to claim my man, don't you worry about that."

Rachel: "Really? I don't think so. (Gets a text from Finn asking if he could come to rehearse at her's that evening.) I best be off."

I reply to his text saying 'Sure. Meet me at the end of school and we can rehearse.' He has clearly turned over a new leaf from last year.

(Time skip)

We are practising our numbers and our duet for the performance. He is so good and the musical chemistry is incredible. I feel that we are the perfect two.

Rachel: "Do you think that we can do it?"

Finn: "Yes I think that we can. Do you?"

Rachel: "I've got to believe that we have. I want to get to New York and Broadway and to do that; Glee might be my one chance at it."

Finn: "I know. It is just difficult after all the stress of this year that it might be my one chance to get out of here as well."

Rachel: "You have fantastic grades Finn."

Finn: "So do you Rachel. But my Mom doesn't have a lot of money and couldn't afford to get me through college. I need a scholarship to get out of here."

Rachel: "You are going to do it. We are going to do it. (Gives him a kiss which he deepens and returns.) Do you want to watch some TV?"

Finn: "Yeah."

We sit down and watch some TV and then at the end of the evening, Finn heads back home. We are at that stage of the year where everyone has competitions and so there isn't that much homework that you can do it all in your free periods. I think to myself that we are ready to compete in this competition.

Mr Schue's POV.

We are getting ever closer to the competition now and we feel that we are ready to compete. The day before the competition though, I find out that there is a bombshell in store.

Sue: "Hey buddy. Are your bunch of misfits ready to fail at this competition? I take turns deciding which one of those, I hate the most. Right now it is the dancing Asian."

Mr Schue: "Sue. You know that they are ready. Ready to win."

Sue: "Well, Becky is unable to compete and I told Figgins that you need another performer so I got two people to compete with you."

Mr Schue: "Who."

Sue: "Quinn and Santana. Take them or you lose. Oh sorry, you will lose anyway."

Mr Schue: "Why?"

Sue: "Because they need an extra celebrity judge. And they found one."

Mr Schue: "And who is it?"

Sue: "Me."

We are screwed.

Reviews and Feedback are always welcome. There are only two chapters to go and next time it is Regionals.