Hey everyone! As always, thanks so much for your support of this story. It means a lot to me. Have you heard the songs for this week's episode yet? Rachel's are awesome! I decided to include Sectionals in this chapter, but it does end with a cliffhanger. Hope you enjoy the chapter and review if you want me to continue :)
Chapter 5: Sectionals
"Finn, my back hurts to do this stretch," Rachel moaned.
"Rachel, you'll be fine," the physical therapist said.
Rachel groaned and looked at Finn. Today, Finn had taken Rachel to physical therapy. Kurt and Blaine had gone back to New York, and Hiram, LeRoy, Shelby, Burt and Carole had gone back to Lima. Finn felt horrible about how upset Rachel looked, but he knew physical therapy would help Rachel.
"My back's been really sensitive since the incident at Princeton," Rachel said. Finn cringed at the memory. He remembered that time very well, too well.
"You can do this," Finn said. He held Rachel's hand as she did the stretch.
"How's she doing at home?" the therapist asked Finn.
Finn shrugged. "She's doing better. She wears her brace a lot and she's been using railings to get around must of the time, but I have noticed her being happier. She was sad when our parents and my brother left though."
"I am impatient to get back to work," Rachel said. "I don't like the thought of maybe only getting to work with my kids during two of their years of high school."
"You are missed up there, I can tell you that," Finn said as he helped Rachel stretch. He rolled his eyes as he thought about Rupert, who seemed to devote himself to arguing with and talking back to Finn.
"You okay?" Rachel asked.
Finn didn't really want to talk about Rupert in front of the therapist. "Yeah, I'm fine."
"How often does she take the brace off?" the therapist asked Finn.
"I'd say for a few hours a day," Finn said.
"Try to only take it off for two to four hours a day," the therapist said. "At least for now."
"Okay," Rachel sighed.
"I'm just going to get a printout of the exercises I want you to do at home," the therapist told Finn and Rachel. "I'll be right back."
"Okay," Rachel said. When the therapist left, Rachel turned to Finn. "I hate wearing this brace."
Finn gave his wife a kiss. "I know you do."
"I feel horrible," Rachel said, looking at the ground.
Finn took Rachel's hand. "Rach, do you want me to get the therapist?"
Rachel looked up at Finn. "It's not that. I took the focus off the kids' first musical, we couldn't go to New York for Thanksgiving..."
"The kids understood," Finn said. "And maybe if you're feeling better, we could go to New York for Christmas, or go to Lima for Christmas and New York for Easter. And besides, we got to have Kurt, Blaine, their sons, your mom, Beth, your dads, my parents and Ally here for Thanksgiving."
Rachel gave Finn a hug. "I hope I'll be able to come watch Sectionals."
"I'm sure you will," Finn said. Sectionals were this coming weekend.
"I haven't left the house since my surgery, except to come to physical therapy," Rachel sighed.
"Well, you can come to Sectionals this weekend," Finn said.
Rachel smiled at Finn as the therapist came back. The therapist gave them some exercises for Rachel to do, and they began to leave the hospital to drive home.
"Thanks for taking the day off of practice to help me at therapy," Rachel said. "Especially shortly before Sectionals."
"I think I can trust our kids and their significant others to run things for a day," Finn said. "Besides, I could use a break from Rupert."
"You know, Finn, if he continues with this attitude, I have kicked people out before," Rachel said.
Finn wanted to not have Rupert in the group, but he knew that kicking people out was a last resort. He and Rachel got home, where they found Ryan, Ava, Nick and Emma in the living room, watching a DVD.
"Hey, Mom. Hey Dad," Ryan said.
"Hey guys," Finn said. "How was practice?"
"It was fine today," Ava said. "With one exception."
"What was that one exception?" Finn asked, having a feeling he knew what it was.
"Rupert was being a big asshole," Nick snapped.
"I should have known," Finn said.
"This stays in this room, but I didn't like him much when I had him his freshman and sophomore years," Rachel said.
"He said that we shouldn't be captains because we're juniors," Ava said.
"The team elected the four of you to be captains," Finn said. "And I left the captains in charge."
"I never even got the impression he liked me much when I was the director," Rachel said.
"Like Nick said, he's an asshole," Ryan said.
x
That weekend, the Gold Stars had traveled to a high school on the west side of Cleveland for Sectionals. Emma was feeling a little nervous to be competing with her home high school for the first time in over a year, but she was glad to be back where she belonged.
"Excited for our duet?" Emma turned and saw Nick.
"I am," Emma said. "It's been too long since we've had a duet."
"Rupert said that we shouldn't be doing the duet because the last time we did a duet we lost," Nick said.
"Ugh!" Emma snapped. "That was at Nationals, against all the best choirs in the country."
"Exactly," Nick said. "I've really missed duets with you."
Emma looked into the stands and saw Rachel with Sarah, Grant, Zoe and a few of Sarah's friends. She was glad her mom could be here to see her perform today.
"Are you glad your mom's here?" Nick asked, clearly reading Emma's mind.
"I really am," Emma said.
"No matter what Rupert thinks, I think your dad's done a great job leading us," Nick told Emma.
Emma smiled at her boyfriend. "So do I."
Finn called out for the Gold Stars to meet backstage, and the group went backstage to have their meeting before they took the stage. Another group had begun performing, and the Gold Stars would be next.
"You guys are going to be amazing today," Finn said. "I know the circumstances haven't been ideal, but you've sounded great in practice and I'm really happy with our setlist."
"Our setlist is lame," Rupert muttered.
Emma could tell how annoyed her dad was by the look he gave Rupert. "Rupert, if you don't like the songs I picked, you should have said something when I suggested them."
"I knew you wouldn't pick any good songs!" Rupert said.
"Well, it's too late to change that," Ava said.
"You can't just change the setlist right before we go on stage," Ryan added.
"Exactly," Finn said. "I think you guys are doing to do a great job today, and my wife is in the audience. I'm sure she'll be proud of you, too."
"She'll be mad that she left the choir with an idiot!" Rupert blurted out.
"Rupert, you're not performing with us today," Finn said.
"You can't do that," Rupert said. "That way, we'll have an odd number."
"We can manage with an odd number today," Finn said. "Maybe your attitude will change in time for Regionals, and if not, I'm sure we can find someone to replace you."
"Just like you thought you could replace your wife," Rupert snapped. "I'm going to go find her and tell her what a mistake she made." He stormed out of the room.
"I'm sorry about that," Finn told the group. "Nick, Emma, take your places by the stage for your duet."
Emma walked to the wings with Nick. "I hope Rupert doesn't come back," Nick told Emma.
"I hope he doesn't as well," Emma said. "You're going to sound amazing out there."
"So are you," Nick said. The MC announced the Gold Stars, and Nick and Emma went on stage for their duet.
Emma: Something in the way you loved me won't let me be
I don't want to be your prisoner so baby won't you set me free
Stop playin' with my heart
Finish what you start
When you make my love come down
If you want me let me know
Baby, let it show
Honey, don't you fool around
Nick: Don't try to resist me
Open your heart to me, baby
I'll hold the lock and you hold the key
Both: Open your heart to me, darlin'
I'll give you love if you, you turn the key
Emma: Something in your eyes is makin' such a fool of me
(Nick: You're making me, you're making such a fool of me)
I see you on the street and you walk on by
(Nick: You're on the street I see when you're walking by)
When you hold me in your arms you love me till I just can't see (Nick: Ohh, Woah)
So you choose to look the other way
Well I've got something to say...
Both: Open your heart to me, baby
I'll hold the lock and you hold the key
Open your heart to me, darlin'
I'll give you love if you, you turn the key
(Nick: Open your heart I'll make you love me)
I'll hold the lock and you hold the key
Open your heart to me, darlin'
I'll give you love if you, you turn the key
(Nick: Ohh ohh ohh)
Open your heart with the key
At the end of the duet, Emma ran over to Nick and hugged him. This had been one of their best ones so far. She looked in the wings and saw how happy her dad looked, and then she looked in the stands and saw that her mom looked really proud as well. The rest of the group came on stage to perform the first group number, which Emma was excited to lead with her boyfriend, her brother and her best friend.
Nick: You say yes, I say no
Nick and Emma: You say stop, I say go, go, go, oh no
Gold Stars: You say goodbye and I say hello, hello, hello
I don't know why you say goodbye, I say hello, hello, hello
I don't know why you say goodbye, I say hello
Nick and Emma: I say high, you say low
You say why and I say I don't know, oh no
You say goodbye and I say hello
(Gold Stars: Hello goodbye hello goodbye) Hello hello
(Gold Stars: Hello goodbye) I don't know why you say goodbye, I say hello
(Gold Stars: Hello goodbye hello goodbye) Hello hello
(Gold Stars: Hello goodbye) I don't know why you say goodbye
(Hello goodbye) I say hello/goodbye
Why why, why, why, why, why do you say goodbye goodbye?
Oh no
Gold Stars: You say goodbye and I say hello, hello, hello
I don't know why you say goodbye, I say hello, hello, hello
I don't know why you say goodbye, I say hello
Ryan and Ava: You say yes (Gold Stars: I say yes) I say no (Gold Stars: But I may mean no)
You say stop (Gold Stars: I can stay) and I say go (Gold Stars: Till it's time to go), oh
Oh no
You say goodbye and I say hello
Hello hello
I don't know why you say goodbye, I say hello
Hello hello
I don't know why you say goodbye, I say hello
Hello hello
I don't know why you say goodbye, I say hello hello hello
Gold Stars: Oh, oh, oh... Hela heba helloa
Hela heba helloa, cha cha cha
Hela heba helloa, wooo
Hela heba helloa, hela
Hela heba helloa, cha cha cha
Hela heba helloa, wooo
Hela heba helloa, cha cha cha
Nick, Emma, Ryan and Ava: I say hello
hello
Hello
Emma saw Rupert scowling in the stands, but Finn and Rachel both looked very happy. She gave Nick, Ryan and Ava hugs before the group began their final group number. Since Sectionals was in December this year, Finn had decided for them to use a Christmas song.
Nick: It's Christmas time
There's no need to be afraid
At Christmas time,
We let in light and we banish shade
Grace: And in our world of plenty
We can spread a smile of joy
Throw your arms around the world
At Christmas time
Emma: But say a prayer,
Pray for the other ones
Oh, at Christmas time it's hard
But when you're having fun
Ryan and Ava: There's a world outside your window,
And it's a world of dread and fear
Lizzie and Ben: Where the only water flowing
Is the bitter sting of tears
Lexie and Evan: And the Christmas bells that ring
Are the clanging chimes of doom
Laura and Jeremy: Well tonight thank God it's them
Instead of you
Gold Stars: And there won't be snow in Africa this Christmas time (Izzy and Connor: This Christmas Time, no)
The greatest gift they'll get this year is life (Izzy and Connor: Is life)
Where nothing ever grows (Izzy and Connor: Nothing ever grows)
No rain or rivers flow (Izzy and Connor: River flows no)
Do they know it's Christmas time at all? (Izzy and Connor: Christmas time at all)
Here's to you
Meg and Ricky: Raise a glass for everyone
Gold Stars: Here's to them
Meg and Ricky: Underneath that burning sun
Gold Stars: Do they know it's Christmas time at all?
(Emma and Ava: Yeah)
Gold Stars: Feed the world
Let them know it's Christmas time again
Feed the world
Let them know it's Christmas time again
Feed the world
Feed the world
Let them know it's Christmas time again
Feed the world
Let them know it's Christmas time again
All three performances had been amazing, in Emma's opinion, and as far as she was concerned, they'd won today. Now they just had to wait to see what the judges said.
SONGS: "Borderline/ Open Your Heart" by Madonna (performed by Nick Dougherty and Emma Hudson), "Hello Goodbye" by the Beatles (performed by Nick Dougherty, Emma Hudson, Ryan Hudson and Ava Crispin with the Gold Stars) and "Do They Know It's Christmas" by Band Aid (performed by the Gold Stars)
Chapter 6 preview: The Gold Stars find out if they won Sectionals. The Hudson family celebrates Christmas. Will it be a holiday to remember, even with Rachel's injury?