Thank you so much to everyone who reviewed the last chapter. This chapter is one that I was excited to write, since I always wanted to see Rachel mentoring the New Directions. Two characters from S3 who I would have liked to have seen more of also return in this chapter. Hope you enjoy it and review if you want me to continue.
Chapter 23: Back To The Start
"How's it feel to be back?" Rachel asked as she and Finn walked around McKinley. To take Finn's mind off the upcoming trial and starting at a new school, Rachel had suggested that they come to Lima for a week and help out with the beginning of the new school year for New Directions. Since McKinley started before both NYADA and Columbia, Finn thought that was a great idea.
"It feels good," Finn said. "How's it feel for you?"
"Great," Rachel said. She looked around the halls. "We have lots of memories here."
"We do," Finn agreed. They came to the choir room. The door was open, but no one was in there. As if Rachel knew that was what Finn wanted to do, she took his hand and led him into the room.
"There's the chairs we usually sat in," Rachel pointed out.
"Always next to each other," Finn said. He looked around the room some more. "And there's my drums."
"Yup, you would always play them for our songs," Rachel said.
They walked up to the trophy case, where the first place trophy from Nationals their senior year sat between the past year's second place trophy and the Top 15 trophy from their junior year. Above those were the three Sectionals and Regionals trophies, along with the third place trophy from Regionals their junior year.
"Remember when we put that in?" Rachel asked Finn.
"Of course," Finn said. "That was the best week ever."
"It was," Rachel agreed.
"Finn? Rachel?" Finn and Rachel turned to see Mr. Schue walking into the choir room and went to hug their former glee club director. "What are you two doing here?"
"We thought that before school starts, we'd come help kick the year off in glee club," Rachel said.
"What a nice surprise!" Mr. Schue said. He turned to Finn. "How are you doing?"
Finn sighed. "I'm holding up. To be honest, Rachel and I mostly came here to get away from everything that's going on."
"I understand," Mr. Schue said. "But you're sure you're okay?"
"Yeah, I'm okay," Finn said.
"As usual, we have less than the required twelve members to start off the year," Mr. Schue sighed. "Three of whom are seniors, six of whom are only entering their second year in glee club..."
"It's okay," Finn said. "Rachel and I will help them find more than the four we need to go to Sectionals."
"I bet they'll be really excited to see you again, Finn," Rachel said.
"You too," Finn said. "Everyone was really excited when you got a callback for Funny Girl."
"Yeah, but you have a special bond with them," Rachel pointed out. "You were their leader while Mr. Schue was gone."
Ryder and Marley came into the choir room. "Finn!" Marley exclaimed.
"Hey guys," Finn said, hugging both of them.
"How are you two enjoying being captains?" Rachel asked.
"Well, we have big shoes to fill," Ryder said. "You two were great, and Blaine and Sam were great."
"We were actually coming to tell Mr. Schue that we put together a number with the rest of the glee club to perform in the courtyard today," Marley told Finn and Rachel. "Hopefully it'll help us attract new members."
"Well, I'm sure you'll be able to find at least a few," Rachel said. "I know the school doesn't have the highest opinion of the glee club, but there have to be a few people who'd be willing to join."
"People don't really give glee club a chance," Finn said. "It was the best thing that happened to me." He turned to Marley. "How are you doing?" They'd heard about Jake and Marley's breakup from Kylie.
"Well, I was really upset at first, but I'm doing a lot better," Marley said, smiling at Ryder.
"Are you two saying - " Rachel asked.
"Yup," Ryder said. "We're finally officially together."
"That's great!" Finn said. "I saw something in you two when I was coaching glee."
"Yeah, so did I," Rachel said. "I'm glad you didn't give up on her. Just like I never gave up on Finn."
Finn smiled. Rachel never had given up on him. "And I'm so glad she never did."
"How are you doing, Finn?" Ryder asked.
"I'm doing better," Finn admitted. "Rachel thought that it would be good to come back here for a few days."
"Well, you know I know what it's like," Ryder reminded Finn.
"That's true," Finn said. He didn't really want to talk about what happened with Lucy right now though. "So, what song are you guys doing for the performance?"
"The titular song from Rent," Marley said.
"That's a really great song," Finn said. "I can't wait to see what you guys do with it."
"And I'm very happy to hear you guys are doing Broadway," Rachel said.
"We actually have to get to class, but we'll see you soon," Marley said.
"Okay, nice to see you guys," Rachel said.
x
A little later, Finn and Rachel were in the courtyard, looking for the New Directions. After looking around, they found them. "You guys are just in time!" Jake said. "We're about to do our number."
"Well, we're excited to hear it," Rachel said.
"Remember guys, like we practiced," Ryder told the group. Marley turned on the radio and the glee club members got on the bleachers to perform.
Ryder: How do you document real life
When real life's getting more like fiction each day?
Headlines, bread-lines blow my mind
And now this deadline, eviction or pay rent
Jake: How do you write a song when the chords sound wrong
Though they once sounded right and rare?
When the notes are sour
Where is the power you once had to ignite the air?
New Directions: We're hungry and frozen, some life that we've chosen
How we gonna pay? How we gonna pay?
How we gonna pay? Last year's rent?
Marley: How do you start a fire when there's nothing to burn
And it feels like something's stuck in your flue?
How can you generate heat when you can't feel your feet?
And they're turning blue
You light up a mean blaze with posters and screenplays
New Directions: How we gonna pay? How we gonna pay?
How we gonna pay? Last year's rent?
Kitty: How do you stay on your feet when on every street?
It's trick or treat and tonight it's trick
Welcome back to town I should lie down
Unique: Everything's brown and uh-oh, I feel sick
Where is he? Getting dizzy
New Directions: How we gonna pay? How we gonna pay?
How we gonna pay? Last year's rent?
Marley: The music ignites the night with passionate fire
The narration crackles and pops with incendiary wit
Zoom in as they burn the past to the ground
And feel the heat of the future's glow
Ryder: How do you leave the past behind
When it keeps finding ways to get to your heart?
It reaches way down deep and tears you inside out
'Til you're torn apart, rent
Marley: How can you connect in an age
Where strangers, landlords, lovers
Your own blood cells betray?
Ryder: What binds the fabric together
When the raging, shifting winds of change
Keep ripping away
Kylie: Draw a line in the sand and then make a stand
Use your camera to spar, use your guitar
When they act tough, you call they're bluff
New Directions: We're not gonna pay, we're not gonna pay
We're not gonna pay, last year's rent
This year's rent, next year's rent
Rent, rent, rent, rent, rent
We're not gonna pay rent
'Cause everything is rent
Finn scanned the courtyard and noticed that a few students did seem to be enjoying the performance. At the end of the performance, Finn and Rachel got up to clap and some of the other students in the courtyard clapped as well.
x
Finn and Rachel went to visit Rachel's dads during the rest of the school day and then returned to the choir room after school for glee auditions. The eight remaining New Directions were sitting around the choir room. "We already had two auditions," Mr. Schue told Finn and Rachel. He pointed at the two unfamiliar people sitting in the choir room. "This is Aubrey Cohen, a freshman, and Jack Cirino, a sophomore. They both had good auditions."
Finn was glad that more people were showing up than during his high school days. "I'm glad some people showed up." He didn't understand how after all its success, the glee club could still be so unpopular.
Then Finn heard a familiar voice, "Hi!"
He turned and saw Rory coming in. "Rory! What are you doing here?"
"I got my Visa approved so I could do my senior year here at McKinley," Rory told the group.
"Well, we're glad to have you back," Finn said. He'd always liked Rory. "Everyone, for those of you who don't know him, this is Rory Flanagan," Finn told the group. "He's an exchange student from Ireland and was in the glee club my senior year."
"Welcome back, Rory," Mr. Schue said. "Since we already know you can sing, you don't have to audition."
"Swell," Rory said, going to sit down. After Rory sat down, Finn heard a girl's voice. "I'd like to audition."
Rachel looked surprised when the girl came in. "It's The Gerber Baby!"
"I knew someone would recognize me," the girl said. "You do look strangely familiar. You also might recognize me from my various community theatre productions, or from an ultrasound of me that was used in Murder She Wrote."
"Okay, what's your name?" Mr. Schue asked the girl.
"Harmony Taylor," the girl said. "I'm a senior. I went to Defiance High for my first three years of high school, but the Unitards never made it past Regionals. If I want to get into NYADA, I need to go to a school with a glee club where I can perform on the National stage."
"That's the girl from the NYADA mixer I told you about," Rachel whispered to Finn.
Harmony handed the sheet music to Brad. "Since you guys did a Rent song, I thought I'd do one too. Hit it!"
What's the time?
Well it's gotta be close to midnight
My body's talking to me
It says, Time for danger
It says, I wanna commit a crime
Wanna be the cause of a fight
I wanna put on a tight skirt
And flirt with a stranger
I've had a knack from way back
At breaking the rules once I learn the games
Get up! Life's too quick, I know someplace sick
Where this chick'll dance in the flames
We don't need any money
I always get in for free
You can get in too
If you get in with me
Let's go out tonight
I have to go out tonight
You wanna play? Let's run away
We won't be back before it's New Year's Day
Take me out tonight, meow
When I get a wink from the doorman
Do you know how lucky you'll be?
That you're on line with the feline
Of Avenue B
Let's go out tonight
I have to go out tonight
You wanna prowl, be my night owl?
Well take my hand we're gonna howl
Out tonight
In the evening I've got to roam
Can't sleep in the city of neon and chrome
Feels too damn much like home
When the Spanish babies cry
So let's find a bar
So dark we forget who we are
Where all the scars
From the nevers and maybes die
Let's go out tonight
I have to go out tonight
You're sweet, wanna hit the street?
Wanna wail at the moon like a cat in heat?
Just take me out tonight
Please take me out tonight
Don't forsake me, out tonight
I'll let you make me out tonight
Tonight, tonight, tonight
Finn understood why Rachel had been freaked out by Harmony's talent. Harmony was almost as good as Rachel. At the end of her song, Mr. Schue spoke. "Harmony, wow! That was incredible!"
"Thank you," Harmony said, taking a seat.
"Great job!" Mr. Schue said at the end of the audition. "Welcome to New Directions. And now that we have twelve members, I'd like to introduce some special guests for this week. This is Finn Hudson and Rachel Berry, they were the first ever captains of New Directions. They came back to visit for this week. Finn was my assistant last year."
"We think New Directions has what it takes to do well this year," Rachel said. "All of you are very talented and you have what it takes to beat Throat Explosion this year."
"Didn't Jean go to NYADA?" Kitty asked.
"Yes, so I'll be seeing a lot of him," Rachel said. "He's also an understudy in Funny Girl."
"I guess I'll be meeting him when I'm at NYADA next year," Harmony declared.
"I really didn't like him," Kitty said.
"Kitty, don't," Mr. Schue declared. "I think our co-captains would like to say something."
"We do," Marley said as she and Ryder came to the front of the room. "As captains, we've decided that this year's musical will be - Wicked!"
The glee club cheered as Harmony declared, "I love that musical! And I'm going to be either Elphaba or Glinda."
"Uh, Marley's going to be Elphaba, and I'm going to be Glinda," Kitty said.
"We'll see who'll be who," Finn said, trying to make sure drama wouldn't start, especially not this early. "There haven't even been auditions yet."
"That's right," Ryder said. "So, Finn, Rachel, would you like to help out with auditions?"
"Yeah, that would be great," Rachel said. "This is my second favorite musical, after I end up moving up from the understudy to playing the lead in Funny Girl, I'm going to be in Wicked."
"Maybe you'll play one of the witches and I'll play the other at the same time!" Harmony blurted out.
"Maybe," Rachel said. "Okay guys. New members, welcome. The rest of you, Finn and I look forward to your auditions."
"That Harmony girl reminds me of you in our early glee days, but on energizer," Finn said to Rachel as they left the choir room.
"She is really talented," Rachel said. "I remember when Kurt and I went to the NYADA mixer, we were pretty freaked out by her talent."
"I can already sense drama with the auditions for Wicked," Finn said.
"Kylie did tell me that Kitty and Marley wanted to be Glinda and Elphaba," Rachel pointed out.
"Finn! Rachel!" Finn and Rachel turned and saw Kitty, Marley and Kylie walking toward them.
"Hey guys," Rachel said.
"Look, you're going to let me and Marley be Glinda and Elphaba, right?" Kitty asked. "I mean, we've been practicing their songs, and you do kind of owe it to me after that awful part I got in Grease."
"We'll see," Finn said. Kitty and Marley were very talented, but so was Harmony.
"What part were you thinking of trying out for, Kylie?" Rachel asked.
"I was thinking Nessa," Kylie said. "I do want a smaller part."
"Well, we'll see," Rachel said.
"Kylie, your sister's going to give you whatever part you want," Kitty said. "And since Marley and I are your best friends, we should be Glinda and Elphaba."
"I'm sure you guys will give us a great audition," Finn told the girls.
"Oh, we will," Marley said. "See you guys aroud."
"Do you think you could give me a ride home?" Kylie asked.
"Of course," Rachel said. Finn could tell what this meant. Rachel would probably want some time to talk with Kylie about Shelby.
"How about you drop me off to visit with my parents, and you two can have some time together?" Finn suggested.
"Sounds good," Rachel said.
x
After Rachel dropped Finn off at Burt and Carole's house, she and Kylie went to Kylie's house. "So, have you seen Shelby lately?" Kylie asked almost right away.
"I have," Rachel said. "With everything that's been going on with Finn, not very often though."
"Yeah, I bet things have been pretty tough for Finn," Kylie admitted. "So now Shelby says she wants us in her life?"
"Yeah," Rachel said. "I..."
"I wanted her in my life, and then she rejected me," Kylie said. "I don't know if I want to see her again."
"That's understandable," Rachel said. "It's going to take time for her to get back my trust, too. So, are you excited for this year in glee?"
"Of course I am," Kylie told Rachel.
"So, Kitty said that you've become good friends with her and Marley," Rachel commented.
"We have," Rachel said. "Kitty can be crazy and snarky at times, but she's a really good friend. Marley's a great friend too."
"Glee can definitely lead to great friendships," Rachel said. "That's how I met Finn, and the glee club members who are in New York now."
"Yeah, I really liked New York when I did photography camp there," Kylie said. "Kitty wants to go sometime for a long weekend to visit Artie, so maybe I'll see if I can go too if she goes."
"You always have someplace to stay," Rachel said.
Rachel heard the door open and turned, seeing Kylie's adoptive mother, Meredith, come in. "Hi Kylie," Meredith said. "Oh, hi Rachel."
"Hi Mom," Kylie said. "Rachel's just visiting from New York. She and Finn came to help get the new year with Glee kicked off."
"Very nice," Meredith said. "Rachel, Kylie's dad and I are really thankful to you for how much you helped her after the Shelby debacle."
"Oh, I went through that myself, so I'm more than happy to help," Rachel said. "I always wanted a sibling, and I'm glad it's Kylie."
"Mom, Rachel was saying Shelby says now that she wants us in her life," Kylie told her mother. "I'm not sure if I want to see her again after what happened this summer."
"Well, you don't have to not be sure," Meredith said. "Your father and I don't want her anywhere near you."
Rachel knew Shelby wouldn't be happy to hear this when she saw Shelby again. But she did understand where Meredith was coming from.
x
"Okay, so Finn and I have come up with a technique for auditions," Rachel said as she and Finn stood in the choir room the next day. "We've selected one song from Wicked for all the boys to sing parts from and one for all the girls to sing. We divided up the parts of the songs and we think everyone can show off their talents with these songs."
"We already know I'm going to be either Glinda or Elphaba," Harmony announced.
"We don't know yet," Rachel said as Finn handed out the sheet music. "So, would the guys or the girls like to go first?"
"How about the guys go first?" Finn suggested. "There's five of you, and seven girls, so that'll be easier for us."
"Okay," Rory said as the boys gathered around the piano. Brad began playing the piano as the boys began to sing the song Finn and Rachel had in mind for them.
Ryder: Dancing through life
Skimming the surface
Gliding where turf is smooth
Life's more painless
For the brainless
Why think too hard?
When it's so soothing
Jake: Dancing through life
No need to tough it
When you can sluff it off as I do
Nothing matters
But knowing nothing matters
It's just life
So keep dancing through...
Rory: Dancing through life
Swaying and sweeping
And always keeping cool
Life is faught less
When you're thoughtless
Those who don't try
Never look foolish
Jack: Dancing through life
Mindless and careless
Make sure you're where less
Trouble is rife
Woes are fleeting
Blows are glancing
When you're dancing
Through life...
Joe: Let's go down to the Ozdust Ballroom
We'll meet there later tonight
We can dance till it's light
Find the prettiest girl...
Give her a whirl
Right on down to the Ozdust Ballroom
Come on
Follow me
You'll be happy to be there...
All ND boys: Dancing Through Life
Down at the Ozdust...
If only because dust
Is what we come to
Nothing matters
But knowing nothing matters
It's just life...
Dancing Through Life
Down at the Ozdust
If only because dust
Is what we come to
And the strange thing:
You're life could end up changing
While you're dancing
Through!
Rachel was relieved that Finn had suggested the boys go first, because she had a feeling there'd be drama after the girls auditioned. She looked at her notes as the girls applauded, then turned to the girls. "Okay, let's hear what you girls have for us. Great job, boys."
Brad began playing the piano as the girls began singing.
Kitty: What is this feeling, so sudden,and new?
Marley: I felt the moment I laid eyes on you.
Kitty: My pulse is rushing.
Marley: My head is reeling
Kitty: My face is flushing.
Kitty and Marley: What is this feeling? Fervid as a flame, does it have a name? Yes...
Harmony: Loathing! Unadulterated loathing!
For your face,
Kylie: your voice,
Harmony: your clothing!
Kylie and Harmony: Let's just say- I loathe it all! Every little trait how ever small makes my very flesh begin to crawl with simple utter loathing! There's a strange exhilaration.
Harmony: In such total detestation. It's so pure, so strong!
Kylie: Though I do admit, it came on fast,
still I do believe that it can last. And I will be loathing, loathing you my whole life long.
All ND girls: Dear Galinda, you are just too good! How do you stand her, I don't think I could. She's a terror, she's a tartar,
we don't mean to show a bias but Galinda, you're a martyr!
Aubrey: Well, these things are sent to try us...
Unique: Poor Galinda, forced to reside with someone so disgusticified, We just want to tell you, we're all on your side!
Sugar: We share your loathing, unadulterated loathing,
Aubrey: What is this feeling, so sudden and new?
Sugar: For her face, her voice, her clothing,
Aubrey: I felt the moment I laid eyes on you.
Unique: My pulse is rushing, my head is reeling.
All ND girls: Let's just say-we loathe it all!
Oh, what is this feeling?!
Ev'ry little trait, however small,
Does it have a name?
Makes our very flesh begin to crawl,
Yes...
Ahhhhh... loathing!
There's a strange exhilaration, (loathing!)
In such total detestation, (Loathing!)
It's so pure, so strong! (So strong!)
Though I do admit, it came on fast, still I do believe that it can last!
And I will be loathing for forever,(Loathing...)
Loathing, truly deeply (Loathing...)
Loathing you, (Loathing you...)
My whole life long!
"That was really good," Finn said. "We'll let you guys know soon who we decide to play who."
The New Directions thanked Finn and Rachel and then left the room. "Did you enjoy helping out with Glee this week?" Finn asked Rachel after it was just the two of them in the room.
"I did," Rachel said. "You're really good at this, Finn. One day you'll do a great job coaching a glee club of your own."
SONGS: Rent from Rent (performed by New Directions), Out Tonight from Rent (performed by Harmony Taylor), Dancing Through Life from Wicked (performed by New Directions boys) and What Is This Feeling from Wicked (performed by New Directions girls)
Chapter 24 preview: Finn and Rachel tell Mr. Schue who they think should play each role in Wicked. The new school year for college starts in New York. Finn experiences pre-trial stress and one of the New Yorkers sees Lucy around town.
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