Find Yourself:

OK so here is part 2 of the showcase scenes…enjoy

They got a standing ovation as the curtain dropped on the end of the first act.

It was defiantly a rush that was felt in the members of New Directions as they sucked in a deep breath mentally prepping for act two.

"If I feel this way now," Kristina spoke up from where she was glued to Arties side, "I can just imagine how a competitive performance feels."

"It's like this times…" Kurt paused looking at Mercedes and smiling, "a thousand."

Mercedes nodded.

"Yea girl, I mean the rush of a job well done, mixed with the anticipation of the results and the worry of if you did everything correctly."

Rachel turned and smiled in her direction.

"I couldn't of said it better myself," she complemented Mercedes before turning to Kristina, "and you, you are a born performer but really was their any doubt."

At this her gaze flittered back over to Kurt whom before the young girl even auditioned had claimed that she was now his protégé.

Kurt just grinned thinking his tutelage had paired off.

-

"Is this a closed set or can a fan drop on in," a smooth accented voice rang from the doorway talking the gang off guard.

Everyone's eyes turned to look over at the mysterious young man that had arrived wondering who he was though an answer came quickly as Kristina ran over to him and threw her arms around him squealing.

"Ethan!!!!"

If looks could kill in that moment, well then Artie Abrams would have been arrested for manslaughter as he watched the girl he loved break away from this mysterious Ethan character with a Cheshire cat grin on her face.

Looking from Ethan to the rest of the club she quickly adjusted the headband that was slipping from her hair.

"What are you doing here."

"You told me about the showcase remember love."

"I know, but why are you backstage."

He shrugged.

"Seemed like the thing to do."

His gaze drifted to the young man in the wheelchair with a jealous scowl on his face.

"So, this is the bloke that your smitten with huh."

He held out his hand hoping for Artie to shake it however the young man just stared wondering what this mans game was. Instead he watched Kristina's smile light up like a Christmas tree as she tossed her arms around his neck while she smiled up to the stranger.

"Yep, this is my boyfriend, Artie," the words sprung so naturally from her lips and as Artie heard them all his insecurities just washed away. He shook Ethan's hand in that moment as Kristina introduced the gang to Ethan Lovett, her dearest friend from home.

After the introduction there was still a few more moments to the intermission and business progressed as usual.

Rachel was prepping for her second solo by sipping some kind of iced green tea (she said worked wonders on her vocal cords), Puck was strumming My Girl (no one seemed to notice), Kurt and Mercedes were talking about something or another (along with Finn), Mike, Matt, Brittany, and Santana were off on the sidelines talking about some track meet coming up, and Tina was engaging in a conversation with Ethan who had still been backstage leaving Kristina and Artie to be alone.

"Boyfriend huh," Artie said his voice squeaking a bit with nerves, or perhaps elation.

Kristina grinned.

"It just felt right."

He grinned back to her.

"Let me test the waters out. This is Kristina, my girlfriend."

He gave her a look that she couldn't read.

"So," she asked.

He nodded which affirmed that they now were officially a couple.

Leaning down both of them thought that this was going to be the moment that they had been waiting forever since that moment in the choir room. A moment when even though they were keeping it casual they were on the precipice of engaging in a kiss for the ages, that was until Coach Sylvester broke it up.

This time however the killjoy was none other then Mr. Schuster who had peered his head into the backstage area to once again congratulate the gang, inform them that they were back on in three minutes and that Ethan needed to get back to his seat.

Giving Artie another peck on the cheek she watched Ethan leaving telling him that she would see him after the show.

--

Act two had officially begun as Rachel went back onto the stage to open things up like she did before singing another showstopper of hers.

That girl defiantly had star quality Kristina defiantly had to give her that as she sang her second solo with flawless precision.

Next song on the set list… You Can't Always Get What You Want was performed smoothly by the entire club.

And then as Kristina along with the rest of the club headed offstage for Puck to sing his solo she thought that this was the defining moment of the evening. Ok so maybe the second most defining moment next to her and Artie becoming official but still.

She watched from her spot backstage as he began to do what Molly had told him to do.

Picking up a mic he looked out to the Audience before cocking his head to the side and gazing backstage.

"Rachel Berry could you come out here please."

Rachel rolled her eyes wondering what sabotaging stunt he was planning to pull.

She swore up and down to god that she was going to kill Puck for his unprofessional ness non-competitive show or not.

Shooting him daggers she watched him smile at her.

'God,' she thought, 'why must Noah's dimples be so lethal.'

Looking to her he continued.

"This is for you."

Rachel just watched as he began to strum his guitar to a tune that sure as hell wasn't Sweet Caroline but a tune that she knew nonetheless.

I've got sunshine on a cloudy day.

He began to croon to her.

She still didn't know what to think.


When it's cold outside I've got the month of May.
I guess you'd say
What can make me feel this way?
My girl (my girl, my girl)
Talkin' 'bout my girl (my girl).

Her heart began to flutter a bit.

Was Noah Puckerman putting his heart out on the line?

And for her?

Back when they 'dated' she always assumed she was just a conquest of his. A mutual using of one another to fill the voids that Finn and Quinn left in their hearts.

Well she had Finn Hudson now and yet as he sang this song she couldn't help that think that maybe Finn wasn't her Prince Charming after all.

Anyway it wasn't as if she and Finn were serious so she was sure he'd understand.

He finished the song and made his way backstage to place his guitar down before the final number, meeting her eye as they walked.

"Rachel…"

"I should be berating you for being unprofessional."

"I'm…"

"Let me finish…that was the most romantic thing a guy has ever done for me and well…were you serious."

"Yes," he spoke in a whispery tone as her cherry flavored lips crashed down onto his and the sounds of applause from the audience as well as the rest of the clubs could be sounded.

Puck could even swear that he heard a congratulatory remark being whispered from Finns lips as they all got on the stage to sing their finale piece, ALL YOU NEED IS LOVE which seemed to be a theme that evening.

And like that the song began as all the girls but Rachel sang the opening parts before Finn and Rachel jumped in singing the first two verses simultaneously

There's nothing you can do that can't be done.

Nothing you can sing that can't be sung

Nothing you can say but you can learn how to play the game.

It's easy.

There's nothing you can make that can't be made.

No one you can save that can't be saved.

Nothing you can do but you can learn how to be you in time –

It's easy.

As for the chorus the whole club joined in and was defiantly having fun as they kept singing in succession the famous mantra of 'All You Need Is Love… Love Is All You Need.'

By the time they got to the last verse which Mercedes had taken the solo on the whole group as well as the audience was having a blast.

And as the final declaration of 'Love Is All You Need' Kristina was seriously holding back a moment of PDA and by looking over to where Rachel was standing looking across the group at Puck she could tell she wasn't the only one.

--

After taking a curtain call the gang headed back stage to back in a euphoric glow of a job well done.

While some members of the club dispersed others remained as Ethan re-entered the backstage area shooting Puck a congratulatory nod before walking to where Tina, Artie, and Kristina stood chattering.

"So," Kristina said grinning, "how long are you here in Lima?"

Ethan smiled.

"Till Tuesday why."

She grinned.

"Artie and I were planning on going out on Sunday… Valentines day and well… we should totally do the whole double date thing."

Artie couldn't believe what his newly minted girlfriend was saying.

Was she copping out already?

He watched as she looked over at him.

"That is, if you don't mind Artie? I mean it's our first date and it's Valentines Day and we're official now and all but Ethan's only here for a few days and it'll be fun."

He glanced over to Tina who from just looking into her eyes for a nano second he could tell that she was in like with this guy causing him to let out a sigh.

Even though Ethan Lovett was in his early twenties compared to Tina's sweet sixteen and lived all the way in Port Charles New York, Tina deserved to happy and so with that thought in mind he nodded.

"I don't mind, that is if they're in."

"I'm in," Ethan spoke in his sweet Australian drawl, "what about you love."

"I-I," she stuttered before nodding.

"I take it that's a yes," Kristina said as Tina smiled.

"Yes," she said.

-

Soon after this Tina and Ethan had somehow left the room leaving Artie and Kristina alone, eyes locked on one another, lost in the moment.

"So, I'll see you Sunday," Artie began as he began to wheel toward the door.

"Artie wait," Kristina spoke as the swiveled around to lock eyes once more with hers.

It was like he could read her mind in the moment as he watched her lower her head to meet his.

He took in the sweet sent of her shampoo that still lingered in her hair mixed with the floral musk of her perfume.

And then their lips collided in a way that put all those kisses in all those cheesy teen romantic comedies to shame.

This kiss was real, this kiss was genuine, and most importantly this kiss proved that third time was defiantly the charm.

Slowly pulling back he wanted to go in for more but he knew his father was waiting in the parking lot for him.

"Sunday," he replied once more as Kristina nodded.

She couldn't wait.

--

TBC

I hope I did Krissy/Artie (and Puck/Rachel for that matter) justice…If you liked this PLEASE review