"Has anyone ever literally died on stage?" asked Kurt, his body shaking, his eyes widened.
"Are you nervous?" Rachel was surprised to see him like that again, even if this time it was the Regionals, and they were in the backstage, waiting their turn to perform.
Kurt hesitated; he didn't want her to think he was a complete loser. "Please don't judge me" he said. "This is the first time I lead sing in front of a competition audience. I have this nightmare that I'm going to forget the lyrics or I'm going to sing and nothing is going to come out.."
Rachel looked at him, amused, shaking her head.
Kurt smiled and added: "Okay, you can judge me."
It was the first time that Rachel didn't sing with Finn. She turned around and saw him talking to Santana. She sighed, looked back at Kurt and said: "I think that you're adorable"
He smiled, while his heart raced more then it already had.
"I don't know if anyone has ever died on stage" continued Rachel with a grin, "but the only people that are going to be dying tonight are the people in that audience, because you and I are going to kill this thing. Ok?"
Kurt nodded. Rachel smiled to him and then hugged him. His body suddenly became light as a feather. "Come on, let's go!" exclaimed Rachel, taking his hand and walking on the stage, as a voice from the microphone called the name of the New Directions. The red curtains were raised up, and the music started.
"I remember what you wore on the first day,
you came into my life and I thought
'hey, you know, this could be something'.." sang Kurt with a deep voice, managing not to tremble.
"Because everything you do and words you say,
you know that it all takes my breath away,
and now I'm left with nothing.." He quietly swallowed, gazing at Rachel, who walked toward him and grabbed his hand. They both faced the public and sang together in perfect harmony:
"So maybe it's true that I can't live without you,
and maybe two is better than one..
There's so much time to figure out the rest of my life
and you've already got me coming undone..
and I'm thinking two is better than one" Rachel let go of Kurt's hand, turned around and walked towards the other guys, and he did the same with the other girls. Rachel was dancing with Puck, then Sam, then Finn.
"I remember every look upon your face" she sang, avoiding his eyes.
"The way you roll your eyes, the way you taste" sang Kurt, surrounded by Quinn, Brittany and Santana.
"You make it hard for breathing" they sang again together, looking at each other from the opposite sides of the stage. Rachel twirled around Finn, then walked back to Kurt, singing:
"Because when I close my eyes and drift away,
I think of you and everything's okay,
and I'm finally now believing that.."
Kurt let the girls slowly shake their bodies around him, before approaching Rachel and singing with her:
"Maybe it's true that I can't live without you,
and maybe two is better than one..
But there's so much time
to figure out the rest of my life,
and you've already got me coming undone..
and I'm thinking two is better than one" after one last look, Kurt and Rachel parted again. She walked back to Finn, Puck, Sam, Artie and Mike, while Kurt walked towards the audience, followed by Mercedes, Quinn, Tina, Santana, Lauren and Brittany. He looked at Mercedes and smiled, as he sang:
"I remember what you wore on the first day,
you came into my life and I thought, 'hey'.."
Rachel, completely unhappy about the choreography Mr Shuester had created, rudely grabbed Finn's hands and started singing along with him:
"Maybe it's true that I can't live without you,
and maybe two is better than one"
On the left side of the stage, Mercedes and Kurt sand: "But there's so much time
to figure out the rest of my life,
and you've already got me coming undone.."
Quinn and Santana approached Puck and Sam, saning: "And I'm thinking two.."
"I can't live without you!" screamed Mercedes, Mike break-dancing around her. The audience was dazed.
"Baby, two is better than one" sang Brittany, wheeling Artie around.
"But there's so much time
to figure out the rest of my life" sang Lauren and Tina, walking back. Everyone followed them, except Kurt and Rachel. She had finally let go Finn's hands, and was walking towards the audience again, singing:
"But I'll figure it out when all is said and done.."
"Two is better than one.." sang Kurt approaching her from the back, and taking her hand. She didn't turn around, she kept looking at the public, as they both finished the song together: "Two is better than one."
Once it was all over, the audience started clapping; the performance had been great. Kurt and Rachel smiled, then she spoke into her microphone: "Ladies and gentlemen, we are the New Directions!"
Another song began to play; Kurt and Rachel walked back, while he grabbed his microphone and sang:
"Now as the summer fades, I let you slip away,
you say I'm not your type, but I can make you sway.
It makes you burn to learn you're not the only one..
I'd let you be if you put down your blazing gun!"
Rachel stood on the left side of the stage, Quinn and Brittany dancing around her while she sang:
"Now you've gone somewhere else, far away
I don't know if I will find you.."
Finn and Puck approached her echoing: "Find you, find you.."
"But you feel my breath on your neck,
can't believe I'm right behind you.." added Rachel, trying her best not to look at Finn. Kurt noticed how he was actually breathing on her neck, so he ran towards her and they sang together:
"Because you keep me coming back for more,
and I feel a little better than I did before.
If I never see your face again, I don't mind
'cause we gone much further than I thought we'd get tonight.." Kurt's move hadn't worked as he had thought it'd. Rachel was supposed to be holding his hand and ignore Finn. Instead, she was singing gazing at him:
"Sometimes you move so well
it's hard not to give in"
Kurt frowned, then got closer to his microphone, but Finn was quicker:
"I'm lost, I can't tell
where you end and I begin"
"It makes you burn to learn
I'm with another man" sang Rachel. Much to Kurt's dismay, she wasn't mad at Finn for stealing his part. She was smiling. Kurt couldn't believe his eyes. He meddled between her and Finn and sang:
"I wonder if he's half
the lover that I am"
Rachel danced around him. This time, Finn frowned, and he started singing Kurt's line again:
"Now you've gone somewhere else, far away
I don't know if I will find you"
Kurt snorted, surrounded Rachel's hips with his arms and sand:
"But you feel my breath on your neck,
can't believe I'm right behind you.."
Rachel kept dancing, shaking her body against Kurt's, who grinned at Finn. The three of them sang together:
"Be you keep me coming back for more,
and I feel a little better than I did before.
If I never see your face again I don't mind
'cause we gone much further than I thought we'd get tonight.."
Sam walked towards the audience holding Quinn's hands, and sang to her: "Baby, baby, please believe me,
find it in your heart to reach me,
promise not to leave me behind.."
Quinn smiled at him and replied: "Take me down but take it easy,
make me think but don't deceive me,
talk to me bout taking your time"
Mercedes's turn to sing again the highest note: "Talk to me, oh, talk to me!"
Rachel twirled around Finn, singing: "Because you keep me coming back for more,
and I feel a little better than I did before.."
Kurt put his hand left on her shoulder, getting her to turn around, and they sang together:
"If I never see your face again, I don't mind
'cause we've gone much further than I thought we'd get tonight"
Santana, Brittany, Artie, Lauren, Puck, Sam, Quinn, Mercedes and Finn echoed Kurt and Rachel as they repeated the chorus: "Because you keep me coming back for more,
and I feel a little better than I did before.
If I never see your face again, I don't mind
'cause we gone much further than I thought we'd get tonight!"
Once again the audience clapped. Kurt and Rachel, who were face-to-face, as the choreography commanded, held still for a few seconds. He was looking at her with a frown, and she was biting her lips.
Then, with one last look of complete disappointment, he left the stage, followed by everyone else. Rachel took a deep breath and then walked away as well. She knew she was in trouble.
"What the hell were you thinking?" Kurt was yelling at Finn. "You lost the audition, I am the lead singer!"
"It was just a couple of lines, it's no big deal" replied Fin, shrugging.
"It is a big deal, it was my big night!"
"Come on, Kurt, you sang two entire songs" irrupted Rachel, looking down, embarrassed, "who cares about two stupid and meaningless lines.."
"You shut up!" Kurt was furious. "You ruined the choreography, dancing around that idiot"
"The audience liked us, who cares about the choreography, they didn't even notice.."
"Well, Mr Shuester worked hard on that" said Kurt, crossing his arms, "I bet he did notice"
"In fact, I did." Will got into the room, but, unlike Kurt, he didn't seem angry. "You guys were amazing, really well done! I'm proud of you"
"Didn't you see what Finn and Rachel did to the choreography?" asked Kurt, astonished. "They ruined it!"
"Calm down, Kurt" said Mr Shuester, smiling, "it was no big deal. Of course they shouldn't have done it, but no one noticed, so it's alright. We just have to wait for the judges' response now."
"Fine" snorted Kurt, sitting on down an armchair.
Mr Shuester left the room. Everyone in there was busy doing something, even Rachel and Finn. They were set apart in the corner, speaking with very low voices. Kurt couldn't hear a thing, but he kept telling himself that he didn't care, sitting alone with no one to talk to. Not that he felt like talking to someone now. He still couldn't believe that Rachel could have such a thing to him, especially with Finn. He had lied to her, broken up with her, ignored her, and she had been sad and miserable for days. Kurt had always offered her a shoulder to cry on, and now she had let Finn interfere with their duet!
"Idiot" Kurt told himself. "You're nothing but an idiot." He felt tears come to his eyes, but he pulled them back.
Rachel kept peeking in his direction, barely listening to what Finn was telling her.
"So, here it is" said Finn, concluding what might have been a long conversation.
Rachel nodded, still looking at Kurt. Finn scowled. "Rachel?"
Rachel finally turned her head toward him and, for no reason, exclaimed: "Absolutely!"
Finn sighed and asked: "Did you even pay attention to what I've just said?"
"Uhm, sure" lied Rachel. Then she shook her head and admitted: "Well, actually no."
Finn seemed really pissed off. He glanced at Kurt for a moment, then said:
"I thought you wanted to be with me.. but I guess I've lost now, haven't I?"
"What?" asked Rachel, completely dazed. "No, I don't.. I don't know what you mean. Of course I want you!"
"Really? 'Cause you seemed distracted" pointed out Finn.
"No, I wasn't, I was just.."
"Staring at Kurt" completed Finn with a joyless smile. "You do that a lot.. I've noticed"
"That's ridiculous" whispered Rachel, blushing.
"No, it's true. You know, every time I don't catch you looking my way.. you're looking at him."
"We're just friends, Finn" insisted Rachel, stamping her foot on the ground.
"Whatever" he replied, coldly. "It's none of my business anymore.."
"Oh, and it's my fault?" yelled Rachel, now red with anger. "You can't play innocent with me, I was more hurt than you ever were! First you lied, then you wouldn't accept my apologies.. you know what, Kurt's right, you're not in love with me!"
As he heard his name come out of her mouth, Kurt turned around. Now everyone was staring at Rachel.
"He said that, uh?" asked Finn with a grin. "Is that what you ladies talk about, at the hairdresser's?"
"It's not funny" replied Rachel. "And yes, he believes you don't love me enough, and so do I!"
"I-I don't love you enough?" stuttered Finn, astounded. "How's that so?"
"You broke up with me!" yelled Rachel, close to tears. "You said you'd have never broken up with me, and you have! And you ignored me, and pushed me away!"
"Right, you make friends with capital G gay here, let him touch you on the stage and I'm the one who's pushing you away!" Finn was getting as angry as Rachel. "Yeah, that's logic, why didn't I realize it before?"
"Maybe because it's logic!" replied Rachel, sarcastically. "Besides he didn't touch me.."
"Oh, that's right, you were the one shaking your body like a stripper.."
"Look, you can't tell me what to do anymore okay? Whether I wanna cloister myself or become a stripper for that matter it stopped being your business when you broke up with me!"
Finn hesitated, looking at Rachel, than Kurt, than Rachel again.
"You know what? I'm done with you" he said at last, leaving the room.
Rachel felt everyone's eyes on her. For the first time in her life she didn't want to be the center of attention.