So, I wasn't going to... but then someone said they really wanted to see Rachel's reaction to it all. And then I realized I had the perfect opportunity to do some Rachel bashing and couldn't resist. Let me make it clear right now: I don't like Rachel. She has her moments where she's tolerable... but really, I cannot find it in myself to like her. So I have unashamedly made her one of the main 'bad guys' in all this.

I also watched the Duets episode just before writing this, which might explain a few of my comments.

Just to let you know, there's no way I'm doing everybody's POV. There's too many people. So what I have planned after Rachel is Will, then the Warblers. So if anybody wants to see anybody else, speak now with a very compelling reason.

Rachel.

It was a couple of weeks until Rachel thought about Kurt again.

She, like everybody else, had been shocked by the revelations that had been presented to them that day in the choir room. Kurt's bullying had been known to everybody, of course, but never the extent or how much it had been affecting him. And the fact that he had a boyfriend who was their competition, and then suddenly left to join the competition... well, Rachel smelt something fishy. Of course she wasn't so awful as to say that Kurt had made up the bullying, but perhaps it had been a little more dramatized than he let on. After all, Kurt was dramatic by nature, of course parts of his story had probably been embellished to make them all feel worse. That's what she would have done anyway.

With Sectionals coming up, Rachel didn't have the time to think about Kurt anyway. He was probably happy enough do-wapping along with the Warbler boys anyway, and it was his fault that she was so busy anyway. As she had informed the rest of the group, they couldn't trust that Kurt wouldn't reveal all of their secrets and weaknesses to the competition, so she had been working night and day to come up with new ideas. And then Mr. Schue had gone ahead and put Santana in her solo spot.

So, sitting there at Sectionals and watching Kurt on stage, she suddenly realized that they had more in common than she had realized, and decided it was time to make amends. Not straight after their performance, of course, as they had some celebrating to do. But a few days later, she decided it was time to track down Kurt.

Finding Dalton was easy enough, but Rachel hadn't been prepared for quite how big it was. Kurt must certainly love it, she thought to herself, staring around at the elaborate entrance hall. Two of the boys she remembered seeing from the performance were walking through, holding hands, and she jumped at the chance. "Excuse me! Hi, I'm looking for Kurt Hummel?"

The blonde boy frowned, glancing at the dark haired boy. "Your name?"

"Rachel Berry."

He nodded. "I'll go.. tell him. Nick, you want to stay here?"

As he left, Nick fixed Rachel with a glare. "You're from New Directions, aren't you?"

"I am, but I'm not here to spy or anything of the sort. If I was spying, I certainly wouldn't have approached who I knew was my direct opposition, I can tell you that." Rachel wasn't sure where the hostility had come from, but this boy was definitely not happy with her for some reason. "Our tie at Sectionals was unexpected, wasn't it? I can assure you, if I had been the soloist we would have had a clear win, but that's what happens when things get changed by people who don't understand how to perform properly. I'd ask whether you were used to that, but I get the feeling that Blaine has been your lead soloist for quite some time."

Before the boy could reply, the sound of footsteps were heard approaching. The blonde haired boy reappeared with Kurt and Blaine in tow. "Here she is. Do you want us to stick around?"

"No, it's fine, Jeff. Thanks." Nick gave Rachel one last glare, placing a hand on Kurt's shoulder before leaving with Jeff. "Rachel. To what do I owe the... honour?"

Rachel couldn't miss the way Blaine was standing, almost as if he wanted to protect Kurt. "I thought I should stop by and say hi, and congratulate you on your performance." Kurt's frown deepened. "Oh, and I wanted to let you know that I understand completely how you felt when you were at McKinely, it's gotten a bit that way for me now too."

Kurt's eyes grew wide. "What? They're attacking you?" He turned to Blaine who also looked concerned. "There's got to be something that can be done about this, those jocks need to know that they can't get away with this!"

Rachel frowned. "No, not the jocks. The Glee club have, once again, been neglecting my talent. I mean, you saw our performance at Sectionals -"

"No, I didn't," Kurt interrupted. "I didn't particularly care to watch it, so the entire Warbler group waited out in the foyer until you were done." He raised an eyebrow. "What, are they ignoring you? I didn't think it was possible."

Wow, someone's gotten far more sarcastic since his transfer. "Mr. Schuester decided that it was time for someone else to have the solo slot instead of me." Kurt looked as if he was speechless, and Rachel nodded confidingly. "I couldn't believe my ears either. And then he gave it to Santana of all people and I know that's why it ended up as a tie. I mean, you're very good," she told Blaine, "but you don't quite have my vocal power. So anyway, that's why I came to you. After what you went through, I figured you might be able to understand my pain."

Kurt opened his mouth a couple of times, clearly trying to find words that weren't forthcoming. Blaine didn't have the same problem. "Kurt, you know you don't have to put up with this. You came to Dalton so people like this couldn't get to you." Rachel frowned. People like what? "I can call security if you need me to."

"Wait, what?" Rachel really had no idea what was going on now. "What have I done wrong? I came here to set things right after you stormed out on us, and to let you know that if you ever want help choosing a song - assuming this group ever lets you sing - that you can always come to me."

She watched on, confused, as Kurt and Blaine swapped an exasperated look. Honestly, all she was trying to do was show Kurt that she still cared about him, despite his diva-ness. Why was that such a crime?

"Rachel, I'm afraid I don't understand. And I know that's normal when dealing with you, but I really don't understand this time. You ignored the bullying, you let me walk out, you didn't try to fix things or talk to me when it happened, you let it get past the point of Sectionals before deciding to come and talk to me... and you're acting like nothing happened, like I wasn't beaten up or ignored or hated for most of my time at McKinley. What's your reason for coming here exactly?"

That was... actually a really good question, Rachel realized. She had come to Dalton, hoping that Kurt would emphathise with her about being neglected by the group, but instead found herself attacked. Other than that, there wasn't really any other reason for her being there, except perhaps for her and Kurt to sing one of their impromptu duets that always made her feel better. So she told him as much.

"A duet?" Blaine raised an eyebrow, an expression Rachel was fairly sure he had picked up from Kurt.

"Yes, she's always like this," Kurt explained. "Why a duet, Rachel?"

"Kurt, last time you were feeling lonely, we settled it by singing a duet together, remember? So I don't understand why you feel the need to keep holding this silly grudge - I'm reaching out to you here."

"Well, Rachel, not everything can be fixed with a song," Kurt spat out through clenched teeth, and Rachel was starting to realize that maybe he was still a little annoyed. "Maybe I needed people to help me, instead of just singing with me."

Rachel shook her head before staring pointedly at Blaine. "Your boyfriend sings. You sang a duet with him in front of us which seemed to help."

"Yes, but Blaine and I talked a lot more than we sang. He actually helped me work through some of the issues that were going on and was there for me." Kurt took Blaine's hand, squeezing it lightly and receiving a smile from the boy. "We don't sing to solve problems, we sing to get feelings out."

"But you said Blaine helped you work through the issues? So that means you're over all of it and you can move on, right? No more diva tantrums?" Rachel clapped her hands together, smiling at the boys. Problem solved!

Or not. Blaine was staring at her, his jaw agape. "Kurt, can we please throw her out now? I honestly can't believe what I'm hearing."

"One more thing." Kurt's eyes were slightly red around the edges, a clear sign that he was about to cry. "Rachel, tell Blaine about your dads."

"Her... her dads? Please tell me you mean dad and step-dad?"

Rachel frowned. "No, I have two gay fathers. I'm sure you know of them via the ALCU. They've filed some -"

"Get out."

She blinked a couple of times at Blaine who was now full-out glaring at her. "Excuse me?"

"I'm not kidding. Get out of here now before I call security. I'm not letting you near my boyfriend again." Blaine wrapped an arm around Kurt as a tear slipped down his cheek, pulling him close. "You, Rachel Berry, are a selfish person. All you ever do is think about yourself, and Kurt needs people around him who care about him. That's me, and that's the Warblers. We love Kurt as he is, especially me."

Kurt cut off Blaine by leaning in to press their lips together quickly. "I love you too," he whispered. "And yes, if she doesn't leave, we can call security."

"Kurt?" Rachel was finally starting to realize that things weren't going quite to plan, and Kurt wasn't acting how she thought he would. "That's a bit excessive, don't you think? You don't have to kick me out... I was only trying to help!"

"Rachel, your help is seriously misguided," Blaine said, turning back to face her. "You have no idea what Kurt wants or needs, you only care about you. So go back to Lima, go back to your choir where everything is about you, and enjoy the last few years you have left of it before you get into the real world and realize that it's not."

With that, Kurt and Blaine turned and walked away, leaving Rachel staring at them for a few minutes. Finally, she realized that sticking around might mean someone forcibly removing her and left, heading back out to her car for the long drive home where her thoughts would only be about Kurt Hummel and trying to work out where she had gone so wrong.

Next Chapter: Will.