A/N: Song featured is "Lay All Your Love on Me".

A/A/N: I had intended to have Hayden explain his disability himself at some point, but that just seems to be taking forever, so I'm just going to divulge it now: he has corneal damage, which means that he can see light and dark shapes, but he can't see anything specifically and is therefore considered blind.

Annie stared into the bathroom mirror, pursing her lips as she considered herself. She unhappily groaned and pulled out her barrettes, sweeping her hair back messily behind her head.

The sophomore had changed into street clothes for the callback audition that afternoon (while checking and double-checking that Coach wasn't around), and in a flowy white-and-blue strapless sundress (not to mention the designer label that fused the main character with herself) she felt a boost of confidence. However, she couldn't seem to get the hair right, as the added flower barrettes just kept looking too contrived. How was she going to pull off the role without the natural look though?

"You sound less than calm," a sweet voice commented, and she turned in surprise to see Hayden standing in the doorway.

'How did you get in here?" she asked.

"I've gone to this school for a while," he replied matter-of-factly. "I'm pretty sure I can remember where the bathrooms are."

"But this is the girls' room! You can't be in here!" Annie glanced around scandalized. "What if there were other girls in here?"

"I could hear your indecisiveness from the hallway," the blonde boy replied, folding up his cane and using his hand to carefully graze the sinks and move closer toward her. "You wouldn't have been so blatant if there was someone else in there." He shrugged and tapped the side of his head. "Plus, you know—ears like a bat."

Annie blushed as he commented on her behavior, then turned back to the mirror, her gaze shifting back and forth between the two of them. She watched the blind boy finally settle next to her and lean back casually.

"So," he finally asked. "What seems to be the problem?"

Annie sighed unhappily. "Call-back auditions are today and I just can't get the look right. I have to be the perfect Sophie." She grabbed a chunk of her hair and jerked it around her head pointedly to convey her frustration.

The other sophomore frowned and straightened as he faced her. "Let me see." Annie arched an eyebrow skeptically, but she found herself paralyzed as he reached out a soft-yet-callused hand and gently placed it on her cheek. He slowly, cautiously, moved his other hand to the opposite side of her face and traced his fingers up to the top of her head and then down her jaw before sliding to her bare shoulders. She felt herself shiver as he gently fingered the cotton of her dress without a hint of lewdness, and then paused in consideration.

"I think you look beautiful," his voice told her softly and full of sincerity, causing her to blush feverishly.

"You can't know that," she argued instinctively before instantly feeling shameful at the statement. "You're wearing sunglasses," she amended, flooded with relief when he smiled.

Hayden removed one of his hands, still gently resting on her waist, and pulled off the tinted frames. Annie was completely awestruck by the piercing blue of his eyes. It was like looking into a perfectly clear ocean underneath a dissipating veil of foam. Even through the opaque gloss, they looked straight at her, and he smiled again. "You look beautiful," he repeated confidently.

Annie smiled, reaching out her own hand hesitantly before placing it on his temple. The boy looked hesitant, his smile faltering, but he didn't move, and she gently spread her fingers into his short wavy locks.

The Cheerio watched as her friend bit his lip nervously and felt her own breath hitch slightly. She saw his eyes flicker toward hers, or maybe it was a trick of the light as she watched him lean closer toward her. Her lips parted and—

"Annie! Are you okay?" A pounding on the door caused the two to jump apart as if electrocuted. Annie felt mortified as she heard her brother continue, "Can I come in? I just—oh." Her face burned in embarrassment as her big brother stood awkwardly in the doorway, eyes darting between the two sophomores.

"I should go," Hayden excused himself quickly, slipping his shades back on and using the wall to guide him back to the door before reaching into his back pocket for his cane. He turned before exiting, though keeping his profile to her. "Good luck with your audition."

"Are you coming?" She couldn't help but ask, and she felt her face light up as he nodded and smiled.

The thin boy slipped out the crack in the door and she could hear him disappear down the hallway, leaving her to face her critical brother alone.

"Seriously Annie?" Finn said, pushing a hand through his own hair. "The girls' bathroom?"

"It wasn't like that Finn! We were just talking," his sister argued, though she felt her voice trail off as he gave her a patented Big Brother look. "We're just friends," she asserted, her face reflecting her disappointment in the statement.

The alumnus regarded his sister sympathetically. "You really like him, huh?" he asked. She gave him a look, and he put an arm around her. "Well, he's definitely different than the others Mom has talked about."

"He doesn't like me," she commented dejectedly.

"Somehow I doubt that," the tall boy countered. He squeezed the girl's shoulders and smiled. "Are you ready for round two of auditions? I can't go easy on you, you know—you have to be in top form."
She smiled despite herself. "I know," she replied. "I was just trying to finish prepping when you got here. I can't figure out how to really project the perfect physicality of Sophie."

"Maybe you should just try to project the perfect you, and show how that fits with the show instead," her brother offered.

"Did you pick that up at your fancy acting school?" Annie asked with a teasing grin. Her brother rolled his eyes, and she tilted her head at him. "I'm actually surprised you came home so soon. Mom said you'd been under a lot of pressure."

"Well, acting is hard work," Finn reminded her. "There's a lot of expectations, and a lot of responsibilities. But I always have time for my little sister." He leaned back into her.

Annie wrapped her arms around his waist to squeeze him tighter, but frowned when something poked her. "What's in your pocket?" she asked curiously. She reached into his jacket and pulled out a prescription pill bottle. "What are you doing with my pills?"

Finn looked uncomfortable for a second before finding his voice. "I found this almost empty in your bathroom," he replied quickly, tapping the lid to cause the few remaining pills to rattle at the bottom. "I just wanted to make sure you got them refilled."

"Oh." Annie frowned at the empty container. She could have sworn she still had at least half of it full. "Well thanks—Mom would have killed me if I'd run out before calling for a renewal." She took the almost-empty case from the older boy and stuck it in her backpack so she wouldn't forget them. Then she looked up in excitement at her brother. "Let's go get this show on the road!"

Long, string-hardened fingers straightened a stack of papers, then the three pens beside it. A sip of water, glasses adjusted over his ears, and a hand placed forcefully on the papers again as Teddy Abrams attempted to steady his nerves. He was in his element—a born director ready to induct another great performance into McKinley's history of musicals. If only his stomach would unknot itself and feel the same way.

"Okay Teddy, you ready to get started?" Finn asked as he took his seat. The lanky boy smiled nervously and watched as his ex-girlfriend laughed at something her best friend said. He bit his lip anxiously as she glanced at him out of the corner of her eye and gave a shy smile, which he couldn't help but return.

He also couldn't the leap in his chest that followed that smile. Oh crap.

"He's ready now," a voice responded from the auditorium doors, and the three directors turned to see Liam and Andrew striding in. "Casting consultants Stewart and Harold present and accounted for."

"Well then let's get this bull out to pasture," Coach Beiste asserted, and she turned to call out to the stage.

Teddy continued facing his friends as they slid behind him, clipboards in hand. He let out a breath he didn't realize he'd been holding. "Thanks guys for coming," he whispered, looking from one boy to the other.

Liam bit his lip from speaking whatever was on his mind, though the junior could see he was still miffed. Andrew, however, gave a small smile as he assured his friend, "Of course, Teddy. We're friends, and this is your show—we should trust your judgement."

"No, you were right," the nerve-racked boy confessed quietly, leaning closer to his friends. "I wasn't being impartial—I don't know if there even is a way to be unbiased if I'm the only one casting."

Liam's bitter expression softened at the admission, and with a comforting smile he joined the huddle more willingly. "Hey, it happens to the best of us," he told the junior. "I mean, it hasn't happened to me or Drew, but when it does, I'm sure you'll forgive us like the world had to forgive Steven Spielberg for casting Kate Capshaw in Temple of Doom."

The boys put their hands in together and lifted them up in solidarity, and Teddy turned back around, adjusting his papers once more before smiling and calling out, "Here we go, people—show us what you've got!"

"Okay, you guys." For such a tiny girl, Michelle Harrison could sure grip people like nobody's business, and right now she had her diminutive hands clutched on Caroline and Annie's arms like vices in order to bring the three close together. It was the first time all three had been alone since the announcement went up.

"This has gone on long enough," she told them. "I am the queen of gossip, and I know that we are all better than what they're saying. So I think we should all promise before this goes any further that no matter what happens we will be gracious and as much of best friends as we are right now."

"Absolutely," the honey-haired freshman agreed instantly, and Annie nodded. "And I want you guys to know I totally talked to Teddy, so he's not going to treat me any different than the rest of you."

"Oh," Annie said in surprise. "Well…good."

Caroline tried to explain herself. "I just mean that when I go out there in auditions, the only thing that's going to reflect the part I get is how I perform."

"Don't worry Caroline—I'm sure that Finn and Coach Beiste will keep him honest," Annie assured the girl.

"And you talked to Finn too, right?" the head Cheerio confirmed.

"I didn't need to. Finn wouldn't let his relationships cloud his judgement."

"And yet you told Megan and Sunny this morning the audition was in the bag," Michelle piped up suspiciously.

"Well, I mean—I am a veteran actor, and a sophomore." Annie looked at the other two skeptically. "Of course I think I have an advantage, but not because of my brother."

"You're not the only one with theater experience," the dark-haired girl reminded her teammate tartly.

"That may be true Michelle, but don't pretend you're doing this because it's a passion." The tall girl's eyes narrowed at the other. "You told me yourself you just do this because it's family tradition. Being on stage is my life."

"Okay, guys, you're both good," Caroline tried to appease them. "We're all going to have to give it our all."

"You know, just because you've been in one lousy—local—commercial, doesn't mean that you have what it takes to be the lead," Michelle snapped angrily, ignoring her Captain. "For all you know, I could easily take Sophie and Caroline could be Donna."

"Or I could be Sophie," Caroline reminded them. "It could be any of us." When the other girls were awkwardly silent, the young Fabray became less calm. "Wait—so you both think that I don't have a chance?"

"Caroline, nobody's arguing you're a great athlete," Michelle tried to explain. "And of course you have a great voice—"

"But?!" the freshman retorted fiercely.

"We've just been around the scene longer, Care," Annie answered delicately. "I mean, we're used to the demands of the stage—"

"You know what? Neither of you know what I'm capable of." Caroline glared at the two girls. "You underestimated me before and now I'm Cheerio Captain. You both watch when I get out there—I'll make them love me in ways neither of you could hope for."

"Hey everyone—get your butts onstage now for the choreography portion!" Hayley barked shortly, and the three girls stared each other down before taking their places on the stage. "Now, I've taught you all the basic dance sequence," she reminded them from her place center stage. "As the song progresses, you'll have the opportunity to show the casting clowns what you've got."

"Everyone ready?" Finn asked as he clasped his hands in anticipation. "Hit it!"

The band started the intro, I wasn't jealous before we met, Everett sang as he stepped forward, putting his fists up and throwing a punch
Now every man that I see is a potential threat

He slid behind Dalton and gave the sophomore a push, causing him to smile and nervously continue the verse, And I'm possessive, it isn't nice
You've heard me saying that smoking was my only vice, as Michelle slid next to him and flicked the invisible cigarette out of his hand

But now it isn't true Walt told Caroline as he grinned and stepped toward her, Now everything is new
Annie smiled and quickly flitted to center stage where Coby finished, And all I've learned, has overturned, I beg of you

The three girls all chorused together as the boys led them outward before spinning them back into place, Don't go wasting your emotion
Lay all your love on me

Caroline glanced at the directors before slinking toward Everett with a smile, It was like shooting a sitting duck
A little small talk, a smile and baby I was stuck

Michelle's face contorted unhappily and she slid behind her brother and pulled him backward in tandem away from the other girls, I still don't know what you've done with me, she smirked deviously, A grown-up woman should never fall so easily

Annie rushed toward the Harrisons, but was blocked by Michelle and pivoted hard into Ashwin, I feel a kind of fear she sang, fluidly readjusting by sliding down against the dark-skinned boy, who cradled her arms as she raised them above her head sensually, When I don't have you near

Unsatisfied, Annie continued until Michelle interjected, I skip my pride, only to have Caroline belt out, I beg you dear

The chorus of boys rushed center stage with the rest of the auditioning team beside them, and they began to pair off
Don't go wasting your emotion
Lay all your love on me
Don't go sharing your devotion
Lay all your love on me

Michelle grabbed a hold of her brother and they fell into a typical practiced step, while Annie guided Dalton through the choreography while adding embellishments, and Caroline grinned exuberantly as she and Coby twisted around their space on the floor. The three of them stood front and center ahead of the others as they showed off Hayley's choreography again, belting out the chorus as they attempted to highlight themselves once more.
Don't go wasting your emotion
Lay all your love on me
Don't go sharing your devotion
Lay all your love on me

All of the candidates had cleared the auditorium. Finally. As the nerd patrol sat together with their "faculty" sponsors discussing options in the audience, Hayley looked around at the closed curtain before settling unhappily on the ground and closing her eyes.

"So much for no chance in hell," a voice observed.

The bad girl looked up to see Stassi approaching from the shadows. "Your set was pretty good," she continued with a smirk. "Watered down, obviously, but good."

"Well, I wanted to give the best options an opportunity, not break their ankles," the sophomore supplied as she moved to her feet.

"Worried about your reputation? Being in a school musical, surrounded by bad seventies pop…"

Hayley shrugged. "It's not like I'm actually going to be on stage, and besides," her eyes sparked as she grinned at the Cheerio, "I can think of some benefits of the situation."

"Really?"

The muscular Asian stepped closer and laid a hand on the Armenian's fingers. "Long hours, dark corners," she responded mischievously. She grinned as the junior's smile morphed from superior to anticipatory. "May not suck."

Stassi laughed and shrugged before leaning in to kiss the choreographer.

"Hey, where is everyone?" Katie asked, glancing around for a herd of boys as she stepped into Dylan's motel room, Chinese take-out in hand. "I brought dinner."

Dylan gave a shrug. "Old habits die hard, I guess—everyone's over at friends' houses tonight." He gave a half-hearted smile as his girlfriend finished putting the cartons on the table and leaned over to kiss his cheek.

The blonde girl gave the freshman an appraising eye. "Are you okay?" she asked.

"I'm sorry I missed your audition," he replied, stepping past her to open up the chow mein. "How did it go?"

"It was fun, except Care and Chelle and Annie are about to kill each other—what's wrong?" Katie strode beside him to fix him with another look.

"Nothing," he evaded. "Did you bring soy sauce?"

Katie's hand pinned his to the table, and he felt himself forced to look into her piercing blue gaze. "Dyl—what's going on?"

He tugged at the collar of his sweatshirt—old habits really did seem to die hard—and swallowed thickly. "I'm just not sure I made the right decision, uprooting the guys like this and moving us into a motel. And dropping everything on my dad like that—I mean, I didn't even give him a chance."

"Dylan, he was hurting you and your brothers." Katie's right hand softened its grasp and her left cupped his chin comfortingly. "You did what you had to do."

"I broke up our family," he told her, voice cracking painfully. "I made a promise on my mom's grave that I would keep us together, and I'm letting her down."

"Your dad messed up," Katie insisted. "Not you."

"I gave up on him." A mess of shaggy brown hair shook from side to side as he disagreed. "He found me earlier—he's getting help, he's getting better. He wants us to come home and start over."

"And you think that's a good idea?"

Dylan said nothing, because honestly, he couldn't ignore the pit of doubt in his gut over going back to his dad. But he wanted so badly to believe that things would be different—

"Dylan," Katie said softly. "I think it's great that your dad wants to change—to be a good dad. But his problems are going to take time to fix, and I think you know that a month of AA meetings or whatever isn't enough to be certain that this is permanent." She entwined his fingers into hers and brought them up to her chest. "He's not ready for you yet."

"He loves us," Dylan insisted, but to who was up for grabs. "He wants us to be a family."

"Families don't hurt each other," Katie reminded him. "Ever. And really loving someone means doing what's best for them, whatever that means for you. Like us." Dylan looked up at her with awed eyes. "I love you, Dylan Jamieson. I want you to feel that you and your brothers are safe, and if that means keeping secrets or helping with dinner then I will do that for you. Because I love you more than I've ever loved anyone."

Dylan could feel himself tearing up. His chest felt like it was literally going to explode and so he did the only thing he could think of in the moment: he pulled the beautiful blonde close to him and kissed her, both of them freeing their hands as they moved to grab each other tightly while the food lay forgotten on the table.

Lindsay pushed back a stray lock of her black hair as she peeked around the corner and at the shed doors. She was disappointed by its emptiness once again and sighed quietly as she slumped back against the wall. She'd been waiting for the last thirty minutes for Nikki Hardy and her secret contact to appear, and so far all she'd been doing was getting stiff from leaning against concrete. However, Lindsay Erne was never one to go down without a fight—she was bar none for stubbornness, and that was how she'd become such a fantastic journalist.

She heard the confident tread of converse shoes and perked as someone crossed over to the steps of the equipment shed and leaned against the door. The tiny girl pushed herself hard against her camouflage and listened intently.

"I see you got my note," Nikki said, causing Lindsay to frown—hadn't the note been for the Cheerio, since she'd been the one to toss it? "I was concerned that you wouldn't live up to your reputation as a relentless mole, but I'm glad to see such worries were unfounded."

The freshman's puzzled expression suddenly turned to horror as she sneaked a peak around the corner and saw the HBIC of McKinley gazing purposefully at her. "Nikki—" she sputtered, trying to create a plausible excuse for her existence.

"Reputation is very important to me Ernie," the Head Cheerio continued as if the gossip-queen hadn't spoken, allowing her fingers to trace absently around her once pink lock, now back to its natural color but still somehow holding separate from the other tresses. "In so many ways it defines us—sets us apart from one another. It is our reputation that gets us what we want in life."

Lindsay was too afraid to speak—she'd seen enough evidence of Nikki's reputation around school that she was instantly regretting digging into the girl.

"Your reputation is actually quite extensive for someone as young as you are." Nikki slowly circled the spray-tanned freshman. "You're quite the journalist, with an eye for news and ferreting out information. You're not afraid to get your hands dirty, as is evidence by your retrieval of my little invitation today." Nikki smirked at the wide-eyed girl. "And, most importantly, your alliances, while steadfast, could be considered…on the fence, in regards to certain politics. You're in it for yourself, and that's smart. That has a lot of potential, especially when it comes to social-climbing. And that's what I need. Ernie," the girl turned to focus her laser gaze on the tiny girl. "I'd like you to help me help you break a big story."

The freshman gulped as Nikki Hardy's eyes gleamed maliciously.