Find Yourself:
I fracking swear each episode gets better and better then the last…and this is all I'll say about Bad Reputation LOL. Here is another chop-tastic chapter but it bridges the gap to Regionals and I personally kind of like multiple days in one chapter as this means I am not going to be dragging this piece out for all of infinity LOL… song in this chapter is 21 guns by Green Day (I wanted to use the theatrical arrangement but couldn't find the lyrics so the vibe may not be the same as how the scene played out in my head sadly….) also a brief interlude with 'I'm Yours' Thanks for reading and putting up with my madness…
Monday March 29th 2010:
Despite the fact that Kurt wound up spending the night with the Davis women he wasn't the one behind the wheel that morning. Tina was. They tried not to make the young girl feel like a fourth wheel when she asked them about the weekend and so they decided to bring up the subject of cohabitation.
"Seriously, you two, your parents and Molly in one house with only two bathrooms…"
Kurt and Kristina looked at one another. They obviously didn't think this over though they supposed that they would have to cross that bridge when they got to it.
"Anyway," Kristina said deciding to change the subject, "was it this tense the week before Sectionals."
Tina and Kurt looked at one another repressing laughter.
"Much worse," they replied.
"Between the revelation that Puck was Quinn's baby daddy," Tina said.
"And Finn's subsequent storm out," Kurt said sighing over the fact that his now boyfriend almost quit the club in that moment.
"And Sue leaking our set list."
"Which thankfully my boyfriend swooped in at the last moment to save the day."
The girls looked at Kurt who simply smiled.
What, he was proud that he and Finn were an item of sorts…sue him.
Kristina smiled reluctantly and her friends instaintly read her looks.
"Krissy relax, you and Artie killed your mash up at our invitational and I know you'll knock one out of the park again."
The girls blinked.
"A baseball metaphore?" Tina asked.
"I know right," Kurt replied slightly impressed that Finn's 'jock ness' was at least verbally rubbing off on him.
As they pulled up to the school Kristina had been reassured that the worst that could happen was that Quinn would go into early labor but that since they still had twelve members onstage that shouldn't matter.
Kurt excused himself to go find Finn while Kristina and Tina were instaintly met with a familiar face.
"So how are my girls doing this fine Monday."
"It's Monday," Tina simply restated causing Artie to flash her a smile.
"Better now that you're here," Kristina said leaning over to kiss his cheek.
"Your such a suck Davis."
"Well he is my boyfriend Cohen."
"Hello right here," Artie said waving his hand before flashing a seductive grin, "and there is plenty of this to go around."
The two girls let out a laugh as they both kissed him on opposite cheeks before bantering about various things before the bell.
XXX
Puck was MIA again which became a reunion occurrence especially with Quinn's due date fast approaching. If all went according to plan this weekend Kristina would be singing her heart out at Regionals and the next she'd be cradeling her little neice in her arms. She wondered if Quinn had picked out a name yet or if she was going to let Sam do the honor. And what about god parents? Those questions were definitely a pleasant distraction that got her through the day until lunch where she could flirt shamelessly with her boyfriend and glee rehersal where it was all busness.
XXX
"Mr. Schuster don't you think that this is kind of unprefessiona?" Rachel asked in said practice that Monday afternoon.
They had just ran through 'What a Catch' when the teacher rolled his eyes. He wasn't 'feeling' the song and said he was contemplating a different song to fill out the set leading the Diva to complain.
"I mean I would get if you said for us to do something already in our repertoire but…."
"What about 'You Can't Always Get What You Want'?" Finn said interjecting.
"I get that the song won us Sectionals but this is the big leagues," Puck said eyeing his friend still not believing how into this glee thing he had gotten himself into. Sure in the beginning it was to spy on Quinn before falling for and eventually landing Rachel who in turn became his first 'serious' girlfriend.
"What I mean," Finn continued, "is we had less then an hour to learn the song and create choreography for that number and that was without Mr. Schuster's help."
Everyone's eyes fell to Finn.
The boy may have been dim at times but he had a point.
"Ok," Rachel finally said crossing her arms, "so do you have a song in mind Mr. Schuster cause we don't have time for one of your educational mind games."
The teacher nodded and motioned for Quinn to hand him the folder that sat on top of the piano.
As he handed out the song already highlighted with who was to sing what he was greeted with pleasant comments making hope that his gut instinct would work.
XXX
Tuesday and Wednesday seemed to go by in the blink of an eye as the gang was slipping into the new number with ease.
The teacher was right. This new song was a million times better then the last. They were definitely place at Regionals, perhaps even land a high enough ranking to land them a spot for State.
It was on this Wednesday that not only found Finn assisting Kurt and his father in the beginnings of moving their belongings into the Davis residence but the evening also brought Artie's presence in the house as the duo wanted to refresh themselves on their mash up as they really hadn't had the chance to run over it during actual Glee rehearsals and Mr. Schu told them earlier that day they most likely wouldn't get to run it until they went over a final dress rehearsal that Friday.
"I still can't believe your mom and Kurt's dad are serious about this whole cohabitation thing." Artie said.
Kristina sweetly smiled at him.
"What do you mean."
"I mean how long have they been dating, the same amount of time as us more or less."
Kristina smiled.
"More or less," she replied as a chill went down her spine as she tried to imagine what Artie was going to say next. He was going to ask her to take things up a notch wasn't he? He was going to suggest that they had sex after Regionals or something wasn't he?
"I'm not trying to be invasive or anything but don't you think that's a bit rushy… I mean your mom isn't pregnant is she."
Kristina tried not to laugh at the thought of Alexis pregnant with a fourth child by a fourth partner.
'You do know mom and Burt are going to be sleeping in different rooms right."
"Oh," Artie just said smiling and just as fast as it came up the subject was dropped and his guitar was picked up.
Well you done done me and you bet I felt it
I tried to be chill but you're so hot that I melted
I fell right through the cracks
And now I'm trying to get back.
She smiled a bit as she let his vocals consume her while her mind drifted back to that faithful day back in January when they sang the song for the first time in the choir room and if it weren't for coach Sylvester's timing they would of kissed the first time.
This is our fate, I'm yours
They both sang at the end of the song before leaning over and falling into a kiss that like the first almost kiss was rudely interrupted by the ringing of the doorbell.
"Kurt must have forgot a key," Kristina said.
"I'm going to kill him," Artie said as he watched his girl stand up and make her way to the door.
"Hello sweet," Ethan's voice rang from behind Artie.
"Ethan hey, I didn't think you were getting in till Friday Night."
"I thought I'd surprise you and Tina… by the way she here?"
"No, just me and Artie… mom's at the office and Kurt and Finn are in the process of moving the Hummel's things over."
"And your sister?"
"Molly's at the Puckerman's and Sam is at Miss Pillsbury's with Quinn."
"Awe man," a second voice spoke from behind Ethan as Kristina spotted her kid brother.
"Surprise," Ethan said as Kristina eyed her kid brother.
"Morgan, don't tell me your more excided to see Molly then me your own sister."
Morgan smiled as he embraced his sister.
"I miss you too Kristina, it's just your always wrapped up in some kind of drama."
"I am not always wrapped up in drama."
His eyes scanned the room and landed on the young man in the wheelchair. A devious smile on his young lips.
"If your not all wrapped in Drama then why are you alone with a boy… is he your boyfriend Krissy?"
Kristina was about to open her mouth when she realized Artie was wheeling himself over to them.
"Hey Ethan," Artie said obviously not hearing Morgan's question.
"Artie, been keeping out girls out of trouble mate?"
"Trying to," he said with a smile as Morgan looked once more from Artie to Kristina.
"You never answered me. Is he your boyfriend?"
Kristina nodded.
"Yep, Morgan this is my boyfriend Artie. Artie this is my little brother Morgan."
Artie held out his hand as he shook the kids.
He told him Kristina had told her all about him which wasn't a lie at all. Morgan then replied how he wished his sister talked more about him in the conversations they had, as he instantly knew that he was going to like the young man who was dating his sister.
Kristina was impressed as to how Artie and Morgan hit it off that night as did Morgan and her other friends. Puck had even offered to take him to a ball game later in the week.
"It's no Yankee Stadium but that sounds like fun," her brother had said causing everyone in that moment to laugh.
XXX
Soon it was Friday and Will was looking his student's over. This was their final rehearsal before Regionals and despite the insane amounts of drama his kids had come a long way from that rag tag bunch of misfits that fell into his lap back in August.
He nodded to the musicians to play the intro notes to the finale song. This was going to seal the deal he knew it would as Rachel stepped to the center of the room:
Do you know what's worth fighting for?
When it's not worth dying for?
Does it take your breath away
And you feel yourself suffocating?
Tina then began to sing.
Does the pain weigh out the pride?
And you look for a place to hide?
Kristina smiled as she began to sing the next set of lines.
Did someone break your heart inside?
You're in ruins
Holding onto her last note for a few moments it was soon time for the chorus.
One, 21 guns
Lay down your arms, give up the fight
Santana began to sing before Brittany joined her:
One, 21 guns
Throw up your arms into the sky, you and I….
They were standing on the auditorium stage at Regionals pumped up on the momentum of their performance so far. The spotlight moved from where Brittany and Santana along with the other girls were standing together on stage into the direction of the guys and in that moment Artie seemed to be wheeling a bit closer to center stage as he began to sing:
When you're at the end of the road
And you lost all sense of control
And your thoughts have taken their toll
When your mind breaks the spirit of your soul
Then Kurt, Puck, and Finn stepped forward to sing:
Your faith walks on broken glass
Sang Kurt.
And the hangover doesn't pass
Puck added before Finn finished up the verse.
Nothing's ever built to last
You're in ruins
The second chorus rolled around as Puck sang the first part before being joined in by the rest of the guys.
One, 21 guns
Lay down your arms, give up the fight
One, 21 guns
Throw up your arms into the sky, you and I…
All eyes drifted into the massive audience where somewhere in the crowd Mr. Schuster was grinning at his kids.
TBC
Ok so I wrote all but the 21 guns scene on Wednesday before NuMorgan came on and before personal drama to hold. I am mentally picturing Aaron R's Morgan for this verse but you can use whatever one you like in your minds…also working on a Rachel Berry/John Zacchara piece for a forum exclusive project (I'll link you if you want to read)