"I can't believe we did that good!" Brittany exclaimed when they were back in the green room.
Tina turned to Artie. "Should we tell her...?"
Artie just shook his head. "There's no need to confuse her. You know how she gets."
"True," Tina agreed.
"Hey guys!" Mr. Schuester said. "You did amazing!" He walked up and surrounded the group in a bear hug. "I do believe we might have a chance to repeat last year's win."
"Hopefully," Blaine started. "Once we got over our stupid issues we were fine. Sorry, Sam, I didn't mean half the things I said. But still. I'm glad our choreography wasn't anything like what you suggested last year."
Sam laughed. "You mean, when you totally almost punched me and told me you 'weren't for sale'?"
Blaine sighed at this memory. "Yes, that's the time."
Mr. Schuester pulled out his phone and looked at it. "Guys, one last thing before we go watch the other teams. I have a surprise for you." He walked over to the door and opened it.
"KURT!" Blaine screamed when he saw his boyfriend standing in the doorway.
Tina was equally excited when she saw Mike standing right next to him. The two ran to hug their repsective partners.
"You did great, baby," Mike complimented her as he set her down from a bear hug.
Tina blushed. He still makes me giddy inside. It must be that Asian-ness. "Thank you." She pecked his lips.
"Blaine," Kurt started, playing with a few of his boyfriend's curls that had come ungelled. "That song you sang, was that from the Harry Potter video I found on YouTube?"
Blaine, blushing as he always did at Kurt's touch, nodded. "I love that arrangement. Not too long, but not too short either."
Mike's words pulled the two out of an embrace. "Artie! You're walking! Tina had told me, but I honestly didn't believe her."
Artie walked over to his friend, mainly to show him he could walk. "And I'm a damn good dancer, too, if I do say so myself."
Mike chuckled. "Show me."
"Alright, guys," Lauren said, breaking the silence. "I have a question."
"You have a question?" Dylan retorted. "I have a million. Mainly to Brian. Dude, how could you not tell me about this? I thought you were going after-"
Brian held up his hand, cutting him off. "Dude, shut up. You're making a fool of yourself. Seriously. Just accept it." He grabbed Lauren's hand and looked her in the eyes. "What was your question?"
Startled at the sudden outburst of PDA, Lauren pulled her hands out of Brian's and stood up. Facing the rest of the Sunchildren, she asked, "Did y'all have a bet about Brian and I hooking up? And if so, how long has this bet been going on?"
Meredith took the chance to answer. "Yes, we did have a bet. But only about you two becoming a couple. It's been going on ever since we noticed you two had a thing for each other a couple weeks ago. When we were working on the song list. We saw it when you sang together. But we all love you both, so no matter what happens, we support you. Whether you're together or apart. We've all dated other people in the group, but we got over that."
"Yeah, or they moved away," Joey piped up.
The light flashed overhead.
"It's time for our performance," Lauren reminded them. She locked eyes with Brian, who was still sitting. "Let's go."
"Oo, I wonder if they'll be any good," Brittany remarked as the New Directions sat in their seats.
"Does she ever think before she speaks?" Blaine asked absentmindedly to Kurt.
Kurt looked at his boyfriend. "Do you know who you're talking about?"
Blaine smiled. "Touche."
The announcer started speaking. "And now, last but not least, from this fine town of Ann Arbor, Michigan, the Sunchildren! Their word for this Nationals competition is Inspiration."
The New Directions turned around when they heard a few singers walking through the back doors.
Tina leaned over to Mike and whispered in his ear. "I thought we were the only people who did that."
Mike answered, "There's no law that says we are the only team who can do that. It's a free country."
"True," Tina replied before settling into her seat once more.
Lauren sighed. This is it. Nationals. She fixed her black wig and walked through the back of the auditorium as the music started. As she locked eyes with Joe, she began singing. "You say you've lost your edge, But I say it's all in your head. Listen up I've got a message for you."
She walked toward Joe, who was standing right in front of her, and began tangoing with him. "And now we dance!" As the two danced toward the stage, she kept singing. "You got something of a dry spell. But you taught me everything that I know. So why not let me teach a thing or two?"
They'd reached the stage, and were joined by the other Sunchildren. Their costumes were quite strange. They were dressed as a mix between astronauts and superheros. Lauren kept singing while the others sang back-up.
You're a total badass,
The top of your class
Now you're tellin me you have your doubts?
Well I'm not about to let
A ranger forget
What bein' a ranger is all about
The entire group joined in during the chorus.
We're here to get the job the done
It doesn't matter if it's tough or it's fun
We don't hide and we don't run away
'Cause
We're here to get the job done
We'll do it better than anyone
And if we ever feel like we've gone astray
We gotta get up, gotta get back, get back up!
So ya gotta get up, gotta get back- get back up!
The group made a half-circle around Joe. The song was, undoubtedly, supposed to be an inspiration to him. Lauren and Meredith stepped out of the circle and sang to him.
I know you've seen the rough times
Hell, I've seen them too
But I ain't seen anyone
Face 'em half as man as you
This is no time to worry
This is no time for fuss
I know just how great you are
And I think I speak for all of us
Lauren laughed as she looked at a few of the Sunchildren who stepped out of the circle. "Okay, idiotas, say something nice, or I will kill you."
Julia sang the first line. "You're the coolest dude around."
Dylan followed. "You've never let me down."
Lauren sang her part. "Take a good look in the mirror!"
Brian stepped forward and sang a line. "You're an awesome guy."
Lauren locked eyes with Brian for a split second, then continued singing. "And the reason why every one of us is here!"
Joe, looking like he just burst out of a shell, started singing. "I'm here to get the job done. I'm a beautiful son of a gun. I'm the only one who can make it true."
The rest of the group answered.
That's true, that's what ya gotta do.
We're here to get the job done
It doesn't matter- small or a ton
When we're down, and there's none that we can do
We gotta get up, gotta get back, get back up!
We gotta get up,
Gotta get back
Get back
Get back
Get back up!
The audience burst into applause when they finished. Lauren and Brian looked at each other and smiled. Maybe this could work, Lauren thought as she walked backstage. She wasn't singing this next song-Meredith and Brian were, well, until the end.
When the audience stopped clapping, Meredith stepped forward and began singing.
I've been alone
Surrounded by darkness
And I've seen how heartless
The world can be
And I've seen you crying
You felt like it's hopeless
I'll always do my best
To make you see
Baby, you're not alone
'Cause you're here with me
And nothings ever gonna bring us down
'Cause nothing can keep me from lovin' you
And you know it's true
It don't matter what'll come to be
Our love is all we need to make it through
Brian stepped forward and began echoing her during the next verse.
Now I know it ain't easy
(No it ain't easy)
But it ain't hard trying
(It's so hard trying)
Every time I see you smiling
And I feel you so close to me
Tell me
Lauren smiled when she saw Brian glance back at her before singing the chorus with Meredith.
That baby you're not alone
'Cause you're here with me
And nothing's ever gonna bring us down
Cause nothing can keep me from lovin' you
And you know it's true
It don't matter what'll come to be
Our love is all we need to make it through
Brian stepped forward, ready to sing the bridge. But before he could, he needed to do something. Instead of singing the song right to Meredith, he ran to the back and grabbed Lauren during the small instrumental break. I'm going to sing to her. I need to sing to her.
Now I still have trouble
I trip and stumble
Trying to make sense of things some times
I look for reasons
But I don't need 'em
All I need is to look in your eyes
And I realize
Lauren, startled that she was grabbed before her cue, just smiled like an idiot. Did he mean all those things? Is that why he brought me out here and sang that part right to me?
Joey, sure of his cue, ran out to the stage. "Hey guys! We came back!"
"You came back?" Brian prompted. Those are the wrong words. What is he doing?
Joey shook his head. Crap. I messed up. No, wait. I didn't. He grabbed Lauren and Meredith's hands. "We came home."
All four of them began singing the final chorus.
Baby you're not alone
'Cause you're here with me
And nothing's ever gonna take us down
'Cause nothing can keep me from lovin' you
And you know it's true
It don't matter what'll come to be
Our love is all we need to make it through
Brian smiled as he began the end of the song, which did include the wonderful four-part harmony they'd worked on for weeks.
'Cause it dont matter what'll come to be
our love is all we need to make it through
All four of them looked at each other and ran into a group hug. The music for their final song started playing right away. Joe almost missed his cue, but when Dylan smacked him on the butt, he remembered to start singing.
(Joe)
It seems so funny as I look back on the folly of my ways
I climbed as high as one can climb all alone.
I scaled the highest mountain did a pirouette at the tippity top
But when you
(Dylan, Brian, Joe, and Nick)
Gotta get down, gotta get down, gotta get down
You need someone to count on.
(Dylan)
Some mark their friendship with bracelets and lockets.
(Brian)
Some measure their friendship in silver and gold.
(Nick)
Some show their friendship with matching tatooos.
(Dylan, Brian, Joe, and Nick)
We forge our friendship by saving the world!
I want to be your friend forever.
(Nick)
I want to be a modern dancer!
(Dylan, Brian, Joe, and Nick)
What a super weird thing to say that came out of nowhere.
I want to be your friend forever.
(Nick)
Pass me the cup of kinship.
(Brian)
Meet me at my place, the fortress of friendship.
(Dylan, Brian, Joe, and Nick)
I want to be your friend forever.
(Nick)
I want to see the Eiffel Tower.
(Dylan, Brian, Joe, and Nick)
With the power of a super friend, you're never alone.
I want to be your friend forever.
(Nick)
I want to play Nintendo.
(Dylan, Brian, Joe, and Nick)
Who needs Nintendo when you've got a friend, oh!
When the music changed, the girls came out and started echoing behind the boys. Their high notes perfectly topped the boys' low tenor and baritone voices.
(Joe)
Like a bat in the sun, I'm losing my guano.
I've only known darkness all my days.
(Dylan, Brian, Joe, and Nick)
Dude it's cool, it's chill, we're totally here for you.
(Joe)
Will there still be scary times?
And sad times? Then what?
(Nick)
Tequila times. (A/N: Insert audience laughter)
(Dylan)
I've got the limes.
(Dylan, Brian, Joe, and Nick)
I want to be your friend forever.
(Nick)
I want to meet the Dali Lama.
(Dylan, Brian, Joe, and Nick)
With the power of a super friend you're never alone.
I want to be your friend forever.
(Nick)
I want to learn to play the banjo.
(Dylan, Brian, Joe, and Nick)
Who needs a banjo when you've got a man show!
"Okay," Blaine began to Kurt. "I might've known them when I was younger, but they've definitely changed since then. This is amazing. I love it."
Kurt smiled. "I'm glad you like it." He squeezed Blaine's hand. "Can I meet them?"
Blaine smiled back. "Sure! I think there's a party for all the clubs after they announce the winner. So you can see them and the Warblers."
"I can't wait." Kurt turned back to the stage, where the Sunchildren were finishing up.
I wanna be your friend forever!
Artie leaned over to Tina as they stood up to applaud the Sunchildren. "That guy, the one who looks like Batman, looks familiar. Where have I seen him before?"
Tina shrugged her shoulders. "I don't know. He doesn't look familiar to me."
Lauren ran backstage and tugged her microphone off. I have to find him. I have to tell him...ah. There he is. She threw her arms around Brian. "I can't believe we just did that! It was wonderful!"
He hugged her back with the same intensity. "I know! It was great! You sang wonderfully." He pulled away and went in for a kiss.
She returned it, only to hear wolf-whistles coming from her teammates.
"Get a room!" Meredith called.
Brian ended the kiss and locked eyes with Lauren. "That sounds-"
Lauren stopped him from finishing by swatting his arm. "Not now. Not here."
"Would the following Glee clubs please report to the stage," a voice said over the intercom. "The McKinley High New Directions, the Dalton Academy Warblers, and the Ann Arbor Sunchildren."
The Sunchildren started jumping up and down.
"We made it!"
"Top three!"
"I can't believe it!"
"We could win!"
"Y'all," Lauren started. Her authoritative side was showing. "We need to go out there, not just celebrate the fact that we can."
Sebastian led his boys to the stage. We're so much closer to winning. Now if only I could have that one over there. He looked at Blaine, who was smiling at his brother. The two hugged.
"Shane!" Sebastian called. "Come back over here! You're not a McKinley boy. Oh, hi Blaine. I didn't see you there." He winked at the gelled hobbit.
"Gosh, dude," Shane began. "I didn't know it was against the law to hug my own brother." He rolled his eyes and stood in place.
"Do we have all three teams up on stage?"
The Sunchildren ran onstage right as the announcer said this. They started nodding frantically.
Artie looked at the newcomers. Where do I know that guy? He looks so familiar. Does he have a limp? Oh, dear god, please no. Please, no.
Tina nudged her co-captain. "Dude, you're freaking out. Why are you freaking out?"
"I know where I've seen that guy before." Artie was terrified. Why is he here? How did he live through that?
"Where?" Tina was intrigued.
"Do you remember the car accident I told you about?"
Tina nodded. "Uh-huh. So he..." It dawned on her. "Oh, crap. Are you serious?" She looked at the Michigan boy. "I can't believe it."
"And now, the moment you've all been waiting for. The 2013 Show Choir National Champions are..."