Not everybody is thrilled about the choice of songs, and when they have to dance as well, it gets even worse. For some it's more than okay, but Dean is not in a happy place. Gwen does not like Jack's behavior, but she prevails. She also gets a challenge, and goes for it. An embarrassing video is posted on Youtube.
Songs in this chapter
You raise me up - Secret Garden (original) - M: Rolf Lovland, L: Brendan Graham
Best song ever - One Direction - M/L: Hector, Ryan, Drewett, Bunetta, Townhend
Two weeks of intense rehearsals took it's toll on the guys in the choir. For those who had other extracurricular activities as well, it was even worse. Charlie was pretty much sleepwalking into the choir room at the beginning of the last week, and Dean acted more or less like a zombie when he came from training.
Meetings in the Computer club were not like they used to be. Sam, Garth and Kevin tried to keep it together, but the guys that didn't sing in the choir had asked them to take a break. With Charlie pretty much out of commision - she had orchestra as well - they had to let her second in command take charge.
Sam Winchester didn't have much to do outside of that, but he didn't get much sleep at home during this time. His brother played the guitar at all hours, and Sam wondered if Dean even slept a wink.
Castiel's church choir was going to have a concert in a couple of weeks as well, so he put more strain on his voice than was healthy, and eventually he kind of lost it. With strict orders from his doctor to rest his vocal chords, the boy pined away in the back while the others had to pick up the slack.
With Rachel Berry in the house, Jack didn't get much rest either. Being back in Lima for a fortnight, she wanted to make the most of it, so when rehearsal was over, she dragged him along when she visited old friends.
It wasn't a secret that Sam Evans participated in these outings; the rumor about him and Rachel was well known, but he didn't have to get up early to go to class.
Jack Harkness, one of the most handsome guys at school - according to some - looked like something the cat dragged in when the second week came around.
Jack was a trooper though, and he managed to keep it up and he delivered every time. When Sam Evans decided that they should focus on one great solo, and that Jack should do it, there were a few murmurs between the others. They knew that Sam and Jack spent a lot of time together so they found it a little unfair, but eventually they all realized that Jack would be their best bet regardless.
Easter holiday in the UK was a two week affair, and the surprise visit from Gwen's boyfriend over there threw the whole Jones household upside down for a moment. "We were supposed to be on a break for a year. We didn't want to promise each other anything." Gwen was torn between him and the choir, but managed to stay somewhat focused.
For Sam Winchester it all looked like a big mess, and he just hoped that they would manage to hang in there for a little bit longer.
There were other problems as well. Mr Evans kept reminding them that if they got picked, it would be a costly affair. The school would chip in as much as possible, but the Glee-Club had to come up with ways to raise money.
A few of them were perfectly capable of chouging up the cash themselves, but Sam knew that for his brother it would be impossible. The worst part was that even if they by some miracle could manage to scrape together the required amount, Sam knew that he had to stay behind in Lima.
It wasn't such a big deal though. A weekend in the Sunshine State would be too hot that time of year anyway, and Sam didn't care so much for the heat.
He knew he was rationalizing and that he made up excuses, but it was his way of coping with the facts.
-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-
Gwen didn't know what to do about Rhys. Jo knew that her friend was in a little bit of a pickle, and that she didn't really have time for him. He had to stay in the house with Rhiannon and the kids the whole day while Gwen and Ianto were at school. He was allowed into the choir room during the rehearsals, but Gwen couldn't really focus on him regardless. The guy was older; maybe twenty or more, and didn't look too comfortable hanging with a bunch of teeneagers.
He was coping though, and it wasn't hard to understand that the reason was that he was totally and completely head over heels in love with Gwen. She seemed way more uncertain about their relationship, but she did her best to keep him happy during the short breaks.
Jack's flirting was something they all had gotten accustomed to; Gwen had always been one of his preferred targets, and she blushed easily every time. With the boyfriend in the house, she tried to brush it off, but it could look like Jack purposely tried to make her uncomfortable.
Except for Gwen, it was mostly the guys in the choir that got his attention. Specifically Ianto, but after regionals, he had barely looked at the guy.
Jo had to admit that she wasn't the best in reading people, but she knew both Gwen and Ianto fairly well. They both seemed bothered by it. Gwen because she didn't want the attention from Jack at the moment, and Ianto because he didn't get it.
It was a puzzle, and with more time on her hands she would have wanted to solve it. She could still not believe that Ianto was into boys, but there were signs, and it was possible that she had to change her views on that.
With Jack it wasn't any doubt; she'd seen him and John together, and even if she was quite drunk and sleepy at the time, she wasn't that stupid. The fact that Jack didn't limit his flirting to one gender was of course a little strange, but some people were bisexuals.
Her own love life was a different story. She could look dreamily at both John and Jack, but none of them were really her type. She hadn't expected Sam Winchester to be her type either, but she caught herself thinking about him more often than she was willing to admit to herself.
She had also actually made a move or two, and he seemed to be reciprocating well, but he didn't really do anything about it. Maybe he was just extremely shy, or maybe he wasn't that into her. It was that thing about reading people. Jo knew she could have got it all wrong; that Sam was just being friendly and didn't like her that way.
-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-
It was funny how Gwen did her best to shy away from him when he openly flirted with her. She had always found it amusing before, but now she seemed quite bothered by it. It was a real turn on for Jack. He knew why she was being so evasive with her boyfriend around, but he couldn't help himself. He kind of liked to make her feel uncomfortable.
That he also wanted Ianto to be jealous wasn't something he liked to think about, but in the back of his mind he knew that that was the underlying reason.
Another issue that he was not very comfortable with was that John and Ianto had found their way back to each other again. That their relationship was seemingly on the friendly side didn't matter. Jack felt that in reality, he'd lost them both.
He'd had a few complicated relationships in the past, but he'd always prided himself with the fact that they always ended quite amicably. So maybe he didn't really have that kind of relationship with any of the two boys, but they were friends, and at the moment Jack felt left out in the cold. It was a very unfamiliar feeling.
As a singer he still had the choir's support, although some of them didn't like that he was picked as the lead. They understood though, and at rehearsals it was almost like normal. It was in class and during the small breaks he felt it.
That he chose to let his frustration out on the one guy who was completely innocent in all this was unfortunate. Well, it wasn't something he'd actually chosen. Jack had no idea that Gwen's boyfriend would show up, and when he flirted with her, the guy looked at him with concern and quite a bit sadness. That look didn't sit well with Jack at all, but nonetheless...
Gwen was a hottie, and he wouldn't have pushed her away if things had been different, but if hooking up with Ianto's best friend was a mistake, hooking up with his cousin would have been catastrophic. Not that he thought that he'd ever have a chance with Ianto regardless after everything that had happened, but he didn't want to burn all bridges.
-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-
Castiel was thoroughly pissed off. During that second week of rehearsal he felt more like a prop than an actual member of the choir. He did his dance steps and managed to follow the choreography quite well, but he was not allowed to sing.
If he didn't get his voice back before the performance, he would have to mime through the songs, and that would just be tragic.
Charlie played the intro on her violin. She and Jack stood together center stage for their first rehearsal in the auditorium.
"When I am down and, oh my soul, so weary;
When troubles come and my heart burdened be…"
Castiel was supposed to be Jack's sidekick on the song, and now he had to watch as Unique took that spot. Not that he didn't think she was capable, but he really wanted to do it because he loved that song.
"You raise me up, so I can stand on mountains;
You raise me up, to walk on stormy seas;
I am strong, when I am on your shoulders;
You raise me up... To more than I can be."
As he walked forward with the others to do the chorus, Cas didn't even bother to move his lips. There were really no point in it.
Jack and Unique stepped up for the second verse flanked by Ianto and John. Jack sang the few lines while the other three hummed before they joined him on the chorus.
"There is no life ' no life without its hunger;
Each restless heart beats so imperfectly;
But when you come and I am filled with wonder,
Sometimes, I think I glimpse eternity."
"You raise me up, so I can stand on mountains;
You raise me up, to walk on stormy seas…"
Dean didn't have to do the dancing. He was with the band, and he only had to walk forward with the others when they all sang together. He was so handsome as he did his guitar solo, and Cas looked at him dreamily. Charlie stepped away from the others to grab her violin again. As the sound of Dean's guitar faded out she delivered a short solo before Jack and Unique did the chorus with the band playing subtly in the background.
For the last round they all joined in and even the musicians sang along making the choir sound fuller and better. Castiel couldn't stop himself from singing, and it went rather well.
"You raise me up, so I can stand on mountains;
You raise me up, to walk on stormy seas;
I am strong, when I am on your shoulders;
You raise me up... To more than I can be.
You raise me up... To more than I can be."
He could feel that his voice was cracking a little on the high notes, but he was definitely better. It wouldn't change much. Castiel knew that he would be a background singer for this performance no matter what. With the church choir's gig coming up, he had to be careful.
-o-o-o-o-o-o-
"A movie maybe." Dean was constantly thinking about the words he'd uttered in the car when he dropped Castiel off. He had barely exchange a word with the guy since then, and he was starting to get a little restless.
With only a few hours of sleep every night, Dean didn't dare to say anything right now. He was overworked and constantly tired, and he knew that anything coming out of his mouth could be too stupid and silly.
He wanted to get this over with so he could go on with his life. He partially wanted them to fail because he knew that he would be completely unable to find the money needed for the trip. It wasn't in Dean's nature to go for a loss, so he knew he'd give it his all, but he really hoped that it wouldn't be enough.
With the kind of sad song that Jack and Unique fronted, they had all decided to do a more upbeat one for their next number. What Mr Evans came up with didn't sit well with Dean at all, and he actually pondered on making a mess of it just in spite.
Five boys were picked to do the lead, but with Castiel out of commission, Dean was asked to take the spot. He didn't have to do a big solo or anything, but he'd cringed when he learned who they were going to cover.
Gwen was practically ecstatic even if she would only be a background singer, while some of the girls reluctantly agreed to the choice. Madison and Jane tried to fight it, demanding that they'd picked a song that would let one of the girls be the lead, but with limited time, they gave it up.
It was an easy song, and Dean knew he would be able to sing his part flawlessly. The dancing was a different story, and he hated that he had to do it. That he was filling in for Castiel was even worse, and he felt so sorry for the boy. Dean really wanted to tell him, but once again he chickened out.
-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-
The boys in One Direction weren't especially famous for their choreography, but he music video to the song had some moves that Mr Evans and Rachel wanted the choir to do. Of the five boys who were picked for the lead, John, Mason, and Garth managed fine while Ianto and Dean seemed to have only left feet.
Gwen knew every step; and it annoyed her greatly that some of the guys seemed to mess up on purpose. Dean was one of those who definitely didn't put his heart into this, and she wanted to punch him when he for the umpteenth time moved to the wrong side or stepped forward when he was supposed to step back.
The choreographer from dance class was at his wits end when their first day of rehearsal for the song was over. They were sent home with a demand to watch the video and study every move. Gwen got a special task. She had to teach Ianto.
Ianto had never been much of a dancer, but at least he'd tried. Gwen was more concerned about Kevin and Dean. They were both pretty hopeless, and even if Kevin hadn't been so verbal about it, the two of them managed to make a mockery of the whole thing. The rest of the guys seemed to get it, although some could need a few more lessons.
Gwen wasn't sure if she did the right thing when she pulled Dean and Kevin aside. "Come over. I can help you. I know this song by heart, and I know every step. If I'm going to teach Ianto, I can just as well include you two."
Dean seemed to be about to brush her off, but then he faltered a little, and Gwen could have sworn that it happened just as Castiel stared right at them. "Uh, sure. It'll be great." He actually looked a little embarrassed, and Gwen wondered if it was due to the fact that he'd gotten the spot because Cas was out of commision for the time being. She didn't really care why. If Dean wanted to learn, she was ready to kick ass.
Kevin had to call home before he made a decision, but then he nodded. "It's okay, but I can't stay long."
As they gathered their stuff to get out of there, Dean came over. "Er, you know, ehrm, If Cas gets his voice back, he'll… Then I don't have to do it." He paused and drew his breath heavily. Gwen had no idea what he was thinking. If he was pushed back to the chorus line, he'd still had to dance.
"I, I, I thought maybe that Cas should tag along. He could benefit from you coaching." Dean shrugged as he looked away. Gwen noticed the faint pink hue on his face and then she got it. Although she kind of wanted the two of them to get together, this was not the time and place.
"Oh dear. Castiel can do this. He doesn't need any coaching from me. If you think that you can use this training session as a means to hang out with Castiel, I can tell you that I don't want to hear it." Gwen was out of breath and had to take a moment. "If you want to hang out with him, you have to man up and ask him on a date. This will not be it."
She could see that Dean got a little startled, but luckily for him he didn't try to come up with any lame explanation to contradict her. Gwen was more than ready to give him another piece of her mind if he had.
"Sorry. I just… Sorry." He looked so sad and defeated that Gwen felt an urge to comfort him. The whole conversation had happened with nobody else nearby, but now everybody was crowding around them to get their bags, and Gwen didn't want to embarrass the guy any further.
"Come on. Let's get out of here." She knew that Dean had to take his brother home first, and they wouldn't have much time. As soon as they were outside in the parking lot and everybody else was out of earshot, she grabbed Dean's sleeve to hold him back. "I understand, and I can help you, but not today. See you at our house in a few, right?"
Dean's brother was the only one near enough to hear her, but it didn't look like he cared about what she'd said.
-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-
"Maybe it's the way she walked (wow)
Straight into my heart and stole it…"
John sang the lines as Jo crossed the stage. The two of them shared a flirtatious glance while he continued. And then Mason stepped forward.
"I said, 'can you give it back to me'
She said, 'never in your wildest dreams'..."
The rest of the choir came running out dancing as if they were at a club.
"And we danced all night to the best song ever
We knew every line
Now I can't remember
How it goes but I know
That I won't forget her
Cause we danced all night to the best song ever
I think it went oh, oh, oh
I think it went yeah, yeah, yeah
I think it goes…"
Dean was a bit hesitant, but his voice was good enough for the next part.
"Said her name was Georgia Rose (wow)
And her daddy was a dentist"
John was on fire, and he could have been the stand-in for Harry Stiles anytime the way he moved. Garth was more subtle, but he too did a great job.
"I said, "can I take you home with me"
She said."never in your wildest dreams"
They all lined up for the choreographed dance moves, and it went way better than it had gone yesterday. That Gwen had taken it upon herself to coach the ones that had troubles in the dancing department had really payed off.
"I think it went oh, oh, oh
I think it went yeah, yeah, yeah
I think it goes…"
Everybody knew that Ianto was more of a heavy metal man, but the way he did his part could fool anybody. He had been trained by his cousin, and even if his moves were still a little stiff, nobody could complain about the passion he put into it. He and Mason stepped forward and did their individual lines, while the rest of the choir stopped all movements.
"You know, I know, you know I'll remember you
And I know, you know, I know you'll remember me…"
All the background singers started the little dance again for the next chorus, while John, Ianto, Garth, Dean, and Mason jumped around randomly.
"How we danced all night to the best song ever
We knew every line
Now I can't remember
How it goes but I know
That I won't forget her
Cause we danced all night to the best song ever…"
They all lined up again and did the chorus again. This time it went surprisingly well, and the five boys in front managed to do it without a hitch. Kevin had a little stumble, but it was barely noticeable because he was standing right behind Dean.
As Mason sang the last line all the others dug into their pockets and then they threw confetti into the air.
"Best song ever
It was the best song ever."
-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-
"I can taste the bile." Dean didn't even try to hide that he didn't like the song choice. He could see that Ianto rolled his eyes and nodded clandestinely before he threw a quick glance at Gwen. They had both tried to convince Mr Evans to do another song, but their suggestions had been turned down.
Dean had secretly agreed that Ianto's weird picks were a little out there. Black metal would never fly in this environment. The guy kind of knew that himself, and had really lobbied for Dean's suggestions. "Classic rock could be a winner."
When nobody was willing to take their side, Ianto tried to find songs from different musicals. For Dean it was more like the least of two evils, but he knew that musicals were Ianto's guilty pleasure so he did his best to give his support.
Boyband music was so far from what he usually listened to, and even if some of the songs weren't too bad, he still felt slightly uneasy about it.
When he suddenly got the spot as one of the 'frontmen', he didn't realize how bad it would feel. He had been more concerned about Castiel losing it. At the end of the week, when they had rehearsed the song about a million times, he felt physically ill.
The guys on the athletics team were going to mock him till the end of the season, and Dean did not want that. It was bad enough that he was in Glee-club, but this song could possibly be his downfall. That he was the best Wide receiver the team had had the last few years, wouldn't help. The only solace he could think of was that the school year was almost over, and he didn't have to see them ever again after finals.
It was a futile dream. Two days before the actual performance, Sam discovered a video online posted by one of Dean's teammates. He had obviously been in the auditorium for a rehearsal, and had spliced together a little thing with Dean on stage, mixed with him in football gear on the field.
When Monday came around, almost the whole student mass had seen it, and it was impossible for him to walk the halls without hearing somebody starting to sing. "Said her name was Georgia Rose…"