Season Five, Starring Cory Monteith Chapter 6: 5x05: Michael 2, a glee fanfic

Hi guys! Sorry if this is getting posted later than usual - for one of my favorite artists (Michael Jackson), I just had to make this episode as perfect as I could! I want to quickly thank Finchel86 for their positive review on the story as well. Finn is my favorite character on the show, and Cory was my favorite cast member, so hearing that this story is "an amazing way to honor Cory's legacy" really touches my heart. I hope to continue to do so!

I'm also happy to announce that next chapter will be a Taylor Swift-themed episode, followed by two episodes in which some of our Lima characters will be traveling to New York, and vice versa! One of these episodes will be a Billy Joel themed episode, while the other will be an assortment of performances by different artists. Really excited for you guys to see how this goes.

That's all I've got for you guys - enjoy the chapter!

Episode 5x05: Michael 2.0

Synopsis: Sue Sylvester joins the New Directions this week as she and Finn conduct the club's second lesson on Michael Jackson! Tina and Artie clash over which of them deserves the title of senior class valedictorian, and Bree (Erinn Westbrook) returns from suspension, much to the chagrin of Jake. In New York, the members of Pamela Landsbury clash over the direction their band should go in.

"You are clinically insane, Sue Sylvester! You deserve to spend time in a halfway house!" Principal Figgins screamed as Sue destroyed his office. She threw books on the floor, knocked over his desk, continuously let out a war cry... for any other teacher in any other school district, such erratic behavior would result in immediate firing.

For students at William McKinley High, however, this became so normal that nobody even stopped to look into the principal's office to see what the commotion was about. No one except Finn, who stopped just to amuse himself on the way to the choir room. He chuckled at Sue's childish outbursts, then looked down to see Becky standing outside the office. "Hey, Becky... what's Coach Sylvester's problem now? Did Michael Bolton die or something?"

"Her problem is you, Tubby!" Becky responded, with a prompt raspberry being blown in his face.

Finn was confused; it was Monday. He hadn't even done anything yet, so what would possibly be Sue's problem? He walked past Becky and entered Figgins's office, as Sue's tantrum slowly began to end. "Figgins, everything okay?"

Sue turned around as her eyes widened. "You."

Figgins cleared his throat as Becky entered his office as well, motioning for Finn and Sue to both take a seat. Finn obliged, whereas Sue remained standing, panting, as she was out of breath. "Finn Hudson, I suppose it is time to inform you that Will Schuester will be absent from class today."

"What, why?"

"His parents are in town, came to visit as a surprise, so he is using one of his sick days to spend time with them." Figgins responded.

Finn looked confused. "Okay, so what's the problem?"

"The problem is that you need a faculty supervisor in that choir room, or you can't hold a meeting!" Sue snapped, beginning to walk towards Finn, but was held back by Becky.

Finn looked back at Sue, then back to Figgins. "I don't understand. I've coached the glee club without adult supervision before, why do I need it now?" Finn was right; while Mr. Schue was in Washington earlier in the school year, he taught the glee club on his own, taking them to Sectionals and leading in multiple lessons without the presence of an adult.

"When the glee club was under your sole leadership, you lost at Sectionals, leading to the end of the New Directions' competition season, until you returned back under a technicality." Sue began, walking over and sitting next to Finn finally. "You allowed a student to pass out on stage at that very competition. You allowed the club to disband before barely pulling them back together, hanging on by a thread until Justin Timberlake's return, and upon said return, you kissed his fiancee, ruining their wedding!"

"That kiss didn't ruin the wedding, Sue!" Finn argued back, getting irritated. "I'd argue your twin wedding dress hurt more than my accidental kiss..."

Sue ignored him, continuing on. "Finn Hudson was a mediocre male lead during his time as glee club member. He was a mediocre quarterback on the McKinley football team. He is below mediocre as a teacher! Actually, I wouldn't even consider him a teacher, because that would put him in the same realm as one Sue Sylvester. He barely graduated high school, he received a semi-honorable discharge for deserting the army and hanging out in the Magic City of Atlanta for three months, he nearly destroyed the glee club for good-"

"First of all, like you said, I brought the glee club back together, and I got them back into Regionals." Finn responded. "I helped raise money for our transportation to Nationals, and I helped direct the school musical." He stood up, towering over Sue. "Besides, don't you hate the glee club? Why do you even care if we have a proper adult advisor?"

"Because, Fatty Acid, I am an actual teacher at this school." Sue stood up, staring him coldly in the eye. "I refuse to be seen on the same playing field as a nineteen year old with backne who was groomed by his glee club coach for the past three years. Your success will prove to the world that any alumni can step up with no teaching experience to steal the jobs of the hardworking Americans like myself, who have worked tirelessly for their position!"

"You think I'm barely a teacher? What do you even do here besides coach the Cheerios and bother me?"

Sue choked on her own saliva. "I'm sorry, are you insinuating you have more experience than me?"

Figgins stood now, asking the two to calm down and take a seat, which they both reluctantly did. "I cannot have anymore fighting in my office this week. Sue Sylvester, you are battier than Bruce Wayne, but you do have a point." Before Finn could interject, Figgins continued. "Young and confident Finn Hudson, I believe in you, and I want to see the New Directions succeed. I would rather not see them crumble once again! Unfortunately, you must work alongside an adult until William Schuester's return."

Finn took a deep breath. "Fine, but can't I have a different chaperone? What about Miss Pillsbury?"

"She is with Schuester."

"Coach Beiste?"

Figgins shook his head. "She is at a grilled chicken convention."

"Can you do it?" Finn asked desperately.

"My hands are tied, Mr. Hudson." Figgins said with a frown.

Sue stood up. "It's settled then; Sue Sylvester will make her triumphant return to the choir room." She faced Finn. "I have some demands. First order of business..." She turned to look at Becky. "Becky, what lesson would you like to see the village idiots learn this week?"

Becky's response was to moonwalk across the floor.

"Michael Jackson 2.0 it is." Sue stood up as Finn followed her and Becky out of Figgins's office. "My second order of business..."

Sue, Becky, and Finn stood at the front of the choir room by the piano, as Bree walked in. She smirked as the shocked faces of the group settled in; Sue demanded Bree's suspension be lifted upon her arrival. She sat down in the front as the club began to roar in disapproval.

"Finn, this is ridiculous!" Marley exclaimed, throwing her hands up in frustration. "Did you not hear the things she said to us last week?"

"She really thought she ate... that girl threw up!" Unique rolled her eyes before shooting a glare at Bree, who simply waved.

Even Joe was offended. "She tried using one of my dreads in a Cheerios routine as a jumprope!"

Sue giggled. "That was my idea."

Finn shushed the choir room, who quickly fell in line, as they could tell Finn was not happy. "Guys, what Bree said was not okay, and she was benched for a week as punishment. However, now that the devil herself is in charge for the time being..." He muttered, motioning to Sue, "...there's just nothing I can do. I will continue to punish her as necessary, but there's nothing I can do right now."

Sue stepped up to the whiteboard and wrote Michael 2.0 on the board, which softened most of the expressions on the board. She folded her arms as she leaned against the piano. "That's right, gays and girls! All aboard the Sylvester Express, because it's my way or the highway until your precious Will Schuester is back. Becky here was such a fan of your Michael Jackson themed lesson from last year that she demanded an encore."

Finn gave the group a fake smile. "So, that's it! Pick your favorite Michael Jackson song that we haven't performed, and perform it. Easy enough, right?"

The glee club began to talk amongst themselves, trying to determine what songs they'd like to sing throughout the week. Finn was pretty excited for the lesson, despite Sue's involvement. She might have been a pain in his ass, but he was going to make the most out of his time with Michael's discography.

"Oh, good! We're all here!" Kurt said happily as he walked into his apartment to find all the members of Pamela Landsbury (Rachel, Santana, Dani, and Elliot) waiting for him. "Thank you, Team Pamela Landsbury, for assembling on such short notice!" He took his satchel off and laid it on the kitchen table as he took a seat.

Everyone looked somewhat irritated, but Rachel spoke up first. "Okay, well, I rescheduled my dialect session, so what's up with this emergency text?"

Kurt could hardly contain his excitement. "What's up... is I just booked our band's debut gig!"

Suddenly, the stale faces turned bright, as Rachel clapped, and Santana and Dani exchanged loving faces. Elliot asked, "Amazing! Where? When?"

"This Thursday, 7:30 PM, at the Greenwich Village hotspot... Callbacks!"

All the excitement faded from the room, minus Kurt and Rachel's. The latter of which squealed, "Ooh! NYADA's premiere piano bar!"

"Hold on. Isn't that a Broadway hangout?" Dani's assumption here would be correct; Callbacks was a piano bar that NYADA students frequented. Everyone at the school loved it, because it was 18+ and you got to sing showtunes to your heart's content... however, the non-NYADA students seemed disappointed, namely Elliot, who had been rejected by NYADA. One would think Callbacks was a no-no; last time they went Rachel sang Give Your Heart A Break with Brody, which contributed to Finn's suspicions about the two, and Blaine cried while singing Teenage Dream, which proceeded his admission of cheating on Kurt. But, the two were smiling as if nothing had happened!

"Well, traditionally. But I talked to the manager and he said that Thursdays are kind of their dead night, so we can go in and do whatever we want!" Kurt responded, trying to convince his group of the location.

"No, we cannot debut there. That is instant career suicide!" Santana complained disapprovingly.

Elliot raised his hand as all eyes in the room gravitated to him. "Yeah, Kurt? Not to overstep, but I follow a lot of bands just starting out, and it's kind of all about the launch. You know, getting music critics out to see you, that's a lot easier with the right venue."

"Oh, come on!" Kurt argued, snapping his fingers as he spoke. "Callbacks is a real funky place! You know, it has tons of history..." Rachel nodded in agreement.

"Yeah, but I can't think of a single band that started out there!" Elliot argued back, respectfully. "I mean, it's not like the Bitter End, or the Mercury Lounge..."

Dani interjected, agreeing with Elliot. "Yeah, and if people associate that place with showtunes, nobody is gonna come out for-"

"Our covers of Madonna's greatest hits? I disagree, Dani!" Kurt snapped, receiving a prompt glare from both Dani and Santana.

"Oh... so we're back to the whole Madonna thing." Elliot said, full of disappointment.

"Yes, it was my first impulse!"

"I'd much rather sing some Michael Jackson..." Santana muttered.

Kurt took a deep breath, collecting his thoughts as he tried one last time to make his pitch to the team. If this didn't work, nothing would. "Guys, I know it's untraditional, but you have to trust me! I was there, at Callbacks... I saw it all. I saw a vision of perfect clarity; every seat was occupied, a quiet hush fell over the expectant crowd, as Pamela Landsbury made their way to the stage, and the opening notes to Madonna's-"

"Michael Jackson." Santana stood her ground with a huff.

Kurt rolled his eyes; he knew he had to throw them a bone here. "Fine, Michael Jackson. The opening notes to Don't Stop Til You Get Enough, the lead single of Michael Jackson's 1979 album Off the Wall, begins..."

{Kurt begins to fantasize of the band performing at Callbacks}

[Kurt]

You know, I was

I was wondering, you know

If you could keep on

{Each member of Pamela Landsbury comes out one at a time}

[Kurt]

Because the force

It's got a lot of power

And it make me feel like, uh...

It make me feel like...

Ooh!

{The band continues to play as the crowd cheers}

[Elliot]

Lovely is the feeling now

Fever, temperatures rising now

{Dani turns on a smoke machine as Callbacks fogs up}

[Elliot]

Power is the force, the vow

That makes it happen, it asks no questions why

{Santana moves to center stage as Rachel and Kurt dance beside her}

[Santana]

So get closer

To my body now

Just love me

'Til you don't know how

[Dani and Santana]

Keep on with the force, don't stop

Don't stop 'til you get enough

Keep on with the force, don't stop

Don't stop 'til you get enough

{Pamela Landsbury dances in synchronization}

[Rachel and Kurt]

Keep on with the force, don't stop

Don't stop 'til you get enough

Keep on with the force, don't stop

Don't stop 'til you get enough

{The band plays their instrumental interlude as Pamela Landsbury runs through the crowd, interacting with guests, before returning to the stage}

[Rachel]

Heartbreak enemy despise

Eternal

Love shines in my eyes

{Dani sings from her keyboard}

[Dani]

So let love take us through the hours

I won't be complainin'

[Santana and Dani]

'Cause your love is alright, alright

{The band dances in circles around the stage in a conga line-like formation}

[Elliot and Kurt]

Keep on with the force, don't stop

Don't stop 'til you get enough

Keep on with the force, don't stop

Don't stop 'til you get enough

[Rachel and Santana]

Keep on with the force, don't stop

Don't stop 'til you get enough

Keep on with the force, don't stop

Don't stop 'til you get enough

{The chorus slowly fades out as the crowd cheers and the daydream ends}

As Kurt's daydream came to a close, he sat and smiled to himself, hoping to see his dream become a reality... and hoping his bandmates would suck it up.

Artie rolled onto the auditorium stage with his lunchbox on his lap. His mom had made his favorite sandwich, peanut butter and marshmallow fluff, for lunch! He had been eating it since he was five, and his mom decided to make it for a very special occasion. Artie was having the best year of his life; he was dating one of the most popular girls in school, he was coming off a glee club Nationals victory, he got into his dream school, and lastly, Principal Figgins had just recognized his academic achievements with an award! He was so excited, and nobody knew yet, other than his mother, but the first person who he wanted to tell was his best friend, Tina Cohen-Chang, who had just walked into the auditorium with her lunch. "I'm really proud of us!" He called as he saw Tina walking in.

"Why's that?"

"Because even after you and I broke up, we were able to stay friends and continue our tradition of Tuesday lunch together."

Tina chuckled as she stepped up onto the stage. "It's also a good way to avoid the cafeteria on Taco Tuesdays when they use grade D prison meat, that can legally contain up to 5% insect larva!"

The two shared a laugh as they opened their lunchboxes and began their meals. "Still, I'm gonna miss this next year when you're at Brown, and I'm at film school in Brooklyn..."

Tina's attitude suddenly changed at the mention of her dream school. "I got waitlisted at Brown." She admitted, her voice full of shame. Brown University in Providence, Rhode Island was Tina's dream school. She had envisioned herself going there since she was in elementary school, and despite her impressive resume, her future at Brown was now up in the air.

"Oh." Artie took a deep breath. "You'll get in!" He said confidently, full of support for his friend.

"You know how many students make it off the waitlist? 2%." Since senior year began, Tina was incredibly outspoken and more confident in herself, but as she spoke with Artie about Brown, behind closed doors, she felt just like she did freshman year; small. "The only other schools I applied to are Ohio State and that dumb vet school. I really wanted to get out of this place, you know? Expand my horizons?" She sighed and looked away. "I don't think that's in the cards for me now."

"Hey, remember Finn's lesson from last week, okay? Optimism. It's gonna be okay. We're gonna figure this out." Artie rolled over and took her hands reassuringly.

Tina laughed softly and rolled her eyes. "I don't know, Artie."

"I'm gonna do what I can to help you, Tina, I promise." He said again, hugged her quickly. "Now... is it bad timing to give you some good news?"

Her eyes lit up. "What's up?"

"Well..." Artie cleared his throat. "I just spoke with Principal Figgins, and he told me I'm going to be our senior class valedictorian!"

Tina blinked in shock. "W-what?"

"Yeah! Isn't this great?"

Tina pulled away from Artie as she processed what she just heard. "How? We're practically the same student!" It was true; she and Artie both had perfect attendance, both had the same GPA, and both were in various extracurriculars. "This is... sexist! Racist, even!"

"I asked how it was me over you because, frankly, I was confused. According to Figgins, my GPA has gone up .1 point, so by that reason, I have the higher academic standing now." Artie said, his voice still full of happiness. "Again... isn't this great?"

Tina, however, was not happy. Artie had his future set; he had always dreamed of going to the Brooklyn Film Academy, and he got in! In her eyes, he didn't need the valedictorian honor... but she did. "No. This isn't great, nor is it fair."

"Why can't you just be happy for me?" He didn't mean to be, but Artie Abrams' response was... selfish. Self-centered. He was excited for himself, his accomplishes, and his future - he had every right to be. In his eyes, Tina was jealous and wasn't excited for him. However, what he didn't realize was that in Tina's eyes, he was gloating, and was making her feel worse about himself.

"I am happy for you, Artie, but this was really important to me, and to my Brown application." She said sadly, standing up and grabbing her lunchbox.

"Well, what do you want me to do? Give you valedictorian?"

"Yes." Tina said bluntly, folding her arms.

Artie raised an eyebrow. "Girl, are you crazy?"

"No, Artie, I'm not crazy." She responded, taking her lunchbox and storming out of the auditorium, tears flowing in her eyes. Was she jealous? Absolutely. There was a lot more at stake for Tina, as this could have been the extra push she needed to make Brown reconsider. Watching Artie's success skyrocket just made her feel like hers was going down the drain, and to see him be so inconsiderate was just the icing on the cake.

Artie watched her leave, thinking from an entirely different perspective. He had just revealed great news to his best friend, and he had expected her to react differently. His feelings were hurt that she didn't seem excited for him, or support him. This whole year had been all about Tina, and in Artie's eyes, this was yet another example of that. In his own frustration, he snatched his lunchbox, placed it on his lap, and rolled out of the auditorium as the bell rang.

"Shalom, Puckerman."

Jake closed his locker as he looked down to find Bree standing next to him, with the same smug smirk on her face. She was persistent; despite the fact that everyone in glee club basically disliked her, she stuck around, and she also continued to pursue Jake, despite he and Marley making it incredibly clear they were an item. It would have impressed Jake, had he not been in a relationship.

"What do you want?" He asked as he began to walk away.

Bree followed. "Well, I've got a coupon for Breadstix. Buy one entree, get the other free. Wanted to see if you wanted to tag along... maybe come back to my place after?"

Jake stopped in the middle of the hallway, turning to look at her. "You really can't take a hint, can you?" He grabbed her by her wrist and pulled her into an empty classroom. "Look, there is no us, okay? I thought that was clear when I stopped showing up to dance rehearsals. I'm not hanging out with you at school, let alone outside of it."

Bree sat on one of the desks, slowly opening her legs. "Oh, come on, Jake. You can't tell me you aren't dying to get into my pants. I'm offering you more than Marley, aren't I?"

He sighed, closing the door gently behind him. He was frustrated, sure, but he wasn't going to let that destroy his relationship. "I told you, I care about her. I'm not going to throw this all away for you of all people."

"And what is that supposed to mean...?"

"It means you're easy, Bree!" He snapped, throwing his backpack on the floor. Bree instantly flinched at both the backpack's impact and Jake's raised voice. "It means that literally any guy could screw you if they really wanted to, because you're an easy target. You'll give it up for anyone, and sure, maybe I was like that once, but I'm not anymore. Sex isn't meaningless to me anymore... I want it to be special, and I want it to be with Marley when she's comfortable."

Bree just stared at him. Her lip quivered, for the slightest second, before she put her game face back on and stood up. "Fine. Since I'm so easy, I'll go find someone else to give myself to. Happy?"

"Couldn't be happier. Leave me alone." He responded, glaring at her coldly. "Leave Marley alone, too. Leave Unique, Kitty... anyone else in the glee club that you feel like bothering? Don't waste your breath, because we don't like you."

Bree blinked as she stormed out of the classroom, shoving past a passing Ryder as she ran down the hallway. Ryder could tell something was off, as he glanced into the classroom and saw Jake standing there alone, his face in his hands. He watched Bree run down the hall before entering the room cautiously, looking at his friend with confusion. "Dude, what are you doing?"

Jake turned to look at Ryder before sighing and picking up his backpack. "It's nothing."

"It sure doesn't look like nothing." Ryder said, leaning against the doorway. "You've been sneaking around with Bree a lot lately, Jake. You aren't-"

"Of course I'm not!" Jake snapped once again, beginning to leave the room, but he was stopped by Ryder, who stood in his way. He took a deep breath, collecting himself and his thoughts before continuing. "Look, she's been after me. Hard. She tried to steal me away from Marley again and I shut it down, okay? There is no Jake and Bree - there never will be. I'm not that guy anymore."

Ryder nodded, folding his arms. "Look, dude, I believe you. I know we haven't been as close lately, with my absence from the glee club and all, but you're still my best friend. I still want to look out for you, and I'm just letting you know that if Marley catches you sneaking around with her again, she's not going to give you the benefit of the doubt like I am."

Jake backed away, further into the classroom, taking his backpack off once again. "There is nothing going on between us, I promise."

"Like I said, I believe you, but if she sees you with her again, I'm not the one you're gonna have to convince."

Ryder shrugged and exited the room, leaving Jake alone once again. He kicked his backpack across the classroom as his mind travelled. What more did he have to do to convince Marley, and everyone around him, he wasn't cheating? He knew his previous reputation proceeded him, but he had changed so much since he and Marley got together. He sat against the desk, closing his eyes to continue to think, as he slowly began drifting off.

{Jake begins fantasizing about walking down an alley, in a white suit with a red tie, like Michael Jackson in the Billie Jean music video}

She was more like a beauty queen from a movie scene

I said, "Don't mind, but what do you mean, I am the one

Who will dance on the floor in the round?"

{Jake walks into a bar, where Bree sits waiting for him. He sits next to her}

She said I am the one

Who will dance on the floor in the round

{Bree begins to whisper in Jake's ear}

She told me her name was Billie Jean

As she caused a scene

{Various Cheerios are seen as patrons in the bar, staring at Jake}

Then every head turned with eyes that dreamed of bein' the one

Who will dance on the floor in the round

{Jake stands up as he begins to dance past Cheerios}

People always told me, "Be careful of what you do

Don't go around breaking young girls' hearts"

And mother always told me, "Be careful of who you love

And be careful of what you do

'Cause the lies become the truth"

Hey!

{Jake and the Cheerios begin to dance as the glee club, also as bar patrons, watch}

Billie Jean is not my lover

She's just a girl who claims that I am the one

{Bree approaches Jake, but he walks away}

But the kid is not my son

She says I am the one

But the kid is not my son

{The scene cuts to Jake in the choir room with the rest of the glee club, Finn, and Sue, as he performs the song in the real world}

People always told me, "Be careful of what you do

Don't go around breaking young girls' hearts"

But she came and stood right by me

Just the smell of sweet perfume

This happened much too soon

She called me to her room

Hey!

{Jake begins to dance, singing directly to both Marley and Bree}

Billie Jean is not my lover

She's just a girl who claims that I am the one

{Bree looks away}

But the kid is not my son

No-no-no, no-no-no-no-no-no

{Ryder looks at Marley, who seems confused}

Billie Jean is not my lover

She's just a girl who claims that I am the one

But the kid is not my son

She says I am the one

But the kid is not my son

{Bree folds her arms and legs as she looks very angry}

Billie Jean is not my lover

As Jake's solo came to a close, everybody clapped for his performance. Finn quickly noticed the tension in the room, as he saw Marley's confusion, Bree's annoyance, Ryder's sigh, Jake's frustration, and Artie and Tina straight up ignoring each other. He stood up, continuing to clap, as he commended Jake's number. "That was great, Jake! You're truly a natural when it comes to singing and dancing. What made you pick Billie Jean?"

Jake sat down and looked Bree dead in the eyes when he said, "I'm just a fan of the song's message." Bree looked away with a frown, and as Marley looked at Jake with confusion, he added, "You know, pledging loyalty to your loved ones. In this case, you guys. The glee club."

Kitty rolled her eyes. "Oh, yes, because that's believable."

Marley shrugged as she looked away from Jake. She looked at Bree, who was obviously fuming. As if she could feel her looking at her, Bree spoke up. "I thought Jake's performance was sexy." She was hurt by what Jake said, but was still in full instigator mode.

Before anyone could say anything, the bell rang, as the entire club dispersed. Bree stormed out in one direction, leaving Marley and Jake both looking angry and Ryder looking confused. Meanwhile, Tina stormed out in the other direction, leaving Artie upset and Kitty confused as well. Finn sighed, slumping back in his chair, wondering what could possibly be the problem now.

Kurt sat backstage at Callbacks as he prepared himself for Pamela Landsbury's debut when suddenly, he got a text from Blaine. So sorry I couldn't make it to your first gig! I hope you do great, I love you.

Kurt smiled softly, texting back, Thank you. I love you too. See you soon?

Just a few weeks. Blaine was planning on traveling to New York coming up to audition for NYADA, so it didn't really make sense for him to buy another ticket a few weeks prior to his big trip. Kurt didn't want him to spend anymore money than he had to, but he did miss Blaine greatly. He took a deep breath as he put his phone down. He was ready.

Suddenly, Rachel walked backstage. Kurt heard her come in and turned around. "How are we doing? Is there enough seats for our coworkers at Spotlight?"

Rachel gulped. "I don't think that's what we should be worried about."

As Rachel dragged Kurt out into the lobby, they found Santana, Dani, and Elliot sitting at the bar, waiting. Kurt looked around to find Callbacks absolutely empty, save one older gentleman. "One person?" Kurt whimpered, heartbroken.

"Yeah... and he thinks Angela Landsbury is performing." Rachel said quietly.

"I told you so." Santana said bluntly as the rest of the group shot Kurt glares, before shoving past him and leaving altogether.

Kurt stood dejected, jaw to the floor, as their dreams essentially shattered before their eyes. Tonight, his fantasy was supposed to become a reality; he was so excited to kick ass on stage with his friends as they sang Madonna, Michael Jackson... or whatever. He and Rachel stared at the old man, who gave a friendly wave, as all Kurt could think of now was; I let the band down. I let myself down. What's gonna happen now?

Tina approached Artie confidently as he rolled down the hallway, a stack of notecards in her hand. As he looked over them, she stood over him and folded her arms. "I prepared a speech for you to give to Figgins." She was hopeful he realized his selfishness and would reconsider helping her out.

Artie began to read the notes. "In the hollowed halls of McKinley High, one name rises to the top; Tina Cohen-Chang. There is no other choice for valedictorian. I humbly succeed the title to her." He looked at her, handed her the cards and said, "No me gusta," before rolling away. Was she serious right now?

Tina followed him, begging. "Artie, I need valedictorian in order to guarantee my acceptance to Brown. If I don't get it, I'm screwed. Please take the fall for me!"

"No. It's not my fault you didn't apply to enough schools!" Artie said in an irritated tone, still harboring some resentment towards Tina for not supporting him when he revealed he received valedictorian. If there's one thing Artie Abrams could do, it was hold a grudge.

"Maybe I was too busy making costumes, making sets, and swaying in the background, while everybody else was front and center. You always get everything you want, and I get NOTHING!" She responded defensively.

"Woman, are you insane? You just won the Diva-Off!"

"You think that's gonna help my resume?" Tina scoffed. "Next you're gonna tell me I should win prom queen, which would count against me; I read online that college admission directors think that high school prom queens are self-centered, attention whores."

"Well, if the shoe fits..."

Artie may have mumbled that to himself, but it was loud enough for Tina to hear. She stopped dead in her tracks and looked at Artie in shock. "Excuse me?"

He turned around and wheeled back over to her. "It's time you heard this. The whole school has been talking about it... everyone is convinced that sometime between junior and senior year, an alien invaded your body, and made you shallow and desperate."

"Says the nerd who's dating the Cheerio!" Tina snapped back.

"Says the hag who vapo-raped Blaine!"

"That was blown totally out of proportion, and yeah, I had a little crush on a guy who could never love me, but is that any different than you having a crush on a girl who can't possibly love you?"

Artie stopped, looking upset; Tina had clearly crossed a line. "Kitty does love me."

"Please. She's obviously using you for some kind of sick charity project, and you're using her too! That's what your speech to Figgins can be about; how you're making a sad, last ditch effort to be popular by dating McKinley's biggest bitch!" Tina exploded.

Artie wheeled just a tad bit closer and whispered, "Actually, Tina? You're McKinley's biggest bitch." And with that, he wheeled down the hall to glee club, leaving Tina alone in the hallway, so mad that steam could come out of her ears.

{The scene cuts to the New Directions, Finn, and Sue sitting in the choir room as the band begins to play Michael Jackson's The Way You Make Me Feel, as Blaine stands in the middle of the choir room}

Hey pretty baby with the high heels on

You give me fever like I've never, ever known

You're just a product of loveliness

I like the groove of your walk, your talk, your dress

{Blaine begins to dance around the members of the New Directions}

I feel your fever from miles around

I'll pick you up in my car and we'll hit the town

{Tina and Artie are seen glaring at each other as Blaine crosses between them}

Just kiss me baby and tell me twice

That you're the one for me

The way you make me feel

{The New Directions begin to sway in their seats and sing along}

The way you make me feel

You really turn me on

You knock me off of my feet

My lonely days are gone

{Blaine begins to sing in front of Finn and Sue. Finn laughs as Blaine sings; even Sue is enjoying it!}

I like the feeling you're giving me

Just hold me baby and I'm in ecstasy

Oh, I'll be working from nine to five

To buy you things to keep you by my side

{Blaine fantasizes singing to Kurt}

I've never been so in love before

Just promise, baby, you'll love me forever more

I swear I'm keeping you satisfied

'Cause you're the one for me

The way you make me feel

{Blaine begins to moonwalk, which causes the New Directions to explode in applause}

The way you make me feel

You really turn me on

You knock me off of my feet

My lonely days are gone

{The glee club all get up to sing and dance, except for Tina and Bree}

Ain't nobody's business

Ain't nobody's business but mine and my baby

The way you make me feel

You really turn me on

You knock me off of my feet

My lonely days are gone

The glee club continued to dance and cheer as Blaine closed out his solo. He took a bow, laughing and high-fiving his friends as Finn stood, ushering them all to take their seats. Blaine couldn't help but notice both Tina and Bree sulking even after the performance ended, but he paid no mind to it.

"Blaine, what an incredible rendition of one of my favorite MJ songs!" Finn clapped. "What made you pick that one to perform for this week's lesson?"

"Well, it's Kurt and I's go-to song to sing in the car, believe it or not." Blaine took a quick breath, clapping his hands together.

Sue pressed her hand against her chest. "Be still my beating heart, Blaine Warbler. I'm touched that you created such a tribute for my sweet, sweet Porcelain." As ruthless as she was with the New Directions, she did always have a sweet spot for Kurt. She wouldn't dare admit it, but she missed that kid.

"Right. Well, speaking of Kurt, there's something I've been meaning to talk to you guys about." Blaine began, looking to Finn and putting a hand on his shoulder. "So, Finn, I was wondering..."

Once again, Blaine was interrupted before he could speak to Finn, as Tina stood up and began whispering to the band before standing front and center, in front of the two boys, staring directly at Artie. Finn and Blaine, looking confused, began to make their way back to their seats. "Tina, everything okay?" Blaine asked.

"It's time I contribute to this week's assignment. Sorry to interrupt, Blainey Days, but it's time Tina Cohen-Chang speaks her mind."

Finn and Sue exchanged weird looks before Finn spoke up, "Well, what are you going to sing?"

She looked at him and smirked. "This is a song that I dedicate to those who don't truly care about their friends." She said before flashing a dirty look toward Artie. She glanced back at the band, demanding them to "hit it" as the song began.

{The song began as Tina stomped her foot to the beat}

Skin head, dead head, everybody gone bad

Situation, aggravation, everybody, allegation

In the suit, on the news, everybody, dog food

Bang bang, shot dead, everybody's gone mad

{She stares directly at Artie as she sings, who is appalled}

All I wanna say is they don't really care about us

{Tina marches around the choir room as she sings}

Beat me, hate me, you can never break me

Will me, thrill me, you can never kill me

{Tina stops in front of Bree, who rolls her eyes}

Rue me, sue me, everybody do me

Kick me, fight me, don't you wrong or right me

{Tina points to Kitty and Sue, who look confused}

All I wanna say is they don't really care about us

{Tina stands on top of the piano and pumps her fist}

Skin head, dead head, everybody's gone bad

Situation, speculation, everybody, litigation

Beat me, bash me, you can never trash me

Hit me, kick me, you can never get me

All I wanna say is they don't really care about us

Tina jumped down from the piano as the number came to a close, leading to a collective confusion amongst the classroom; the New Directions were clearly unaware of any problems she and Artie had. Everyone clapped awkwardly, including Finn and Sue. Finn finally stood up, making his way to the piano and giving Tina a quick side hug. "Tina, the energy in your performance was... awesome. I think?"

Tina nodded. "Absolutely awesome."

Bree spoke up, raising her hand. "I actually thought Jackie Chan's performance was trashy, just like her personality and her fashion sense." Here she went, starting trouble in the glee club once again; she clearly was still angry over the way Jake shut her down.

Blaine, being Tina's friend, spoke up in defense of her. "Bree, that was incredibly rude, and just straight up racist."

Bree whipped her head around, glaring right at Blaine. "Oh, I'm sorry, Gay Danny Zuko. I thought that your performance was bad too. Honestly, it was just really cringey."

Finally, Finn began to speak up. "Bree, we've told you before and we'll tell you again, that kind of behavior is not tolerated in this choir room."

"Oh, what are you gonna do, man child, kick me out of glee club again? Like I give a shit."

Collective gasps covered the choir room as Bree cursed at Finn. Unique and Sugar shared awkward glances as Jake shook his head, looking down at his feet. Blaine and Tina looked upset with the way Bree had spoken to them; even Artie, who was upset with Tina at the moment, was angry on her behalf. Everyone was clearly uncomfortable with the way she had been acting, but nobody, and I mean nobody, was more angry than Finn Christopher Hudson. He stood up, and through gritted teeth, ripped into Bree. "Your toxicity in this choir room is no longer going to be tolerated. This type of attitude might work with the Cheerios, or at home, but in here? It won't fly anymore. You've tried to destroy a relationship, you've verbally tore down almost half of this club, and you have zero respect for authority, whether it be me, Mr. Schue, Coach Sylvester, or any adult at this school. I don't care what you do from now on. I don't care if you treat anyone else with disrespect from here on out, but as of right now, it won't be in this club. You are no longer a member of the New Directions."

Bree scoffed. "Oh, gee, another suspension. Big deal."

"No, Bree, you don't understand. You're done. Out. You are 100% kicked out of this club. No matter how talented you think you are, we need team players, and you are not one. So get out. Now."

Once again, Bree was absolutely speechless, as was the entire club. All eyes were on her; what was her next move? It turned out that her next move was to shove past Finn and run out of the choir room, with tears in her eyes. Finn sighed, thinking he messed up, as the bell rang and the glee club all awkwardly dispersed. Everyone left except Sue, who came over to Finn and stood in front of him.

"What, are you gonna go to Figgins? Try to get me fired because I verbally assaulted a kid?" Finn said frustratedly.

Sue shook her head. "Finn Hudson, you are one of the most irritating people I've had the pleasure of working with, and overall knowing. But I would be lying if I said I wasn't impressed with how you handled that."

Finn blinked. "W-what?"

"You did a great job. You put your foot down and defended your students from bullying of the racial, verbal, homophobic, transphobic, and emotional kind." She leaned in and whispered, "I'm only going to say this once, but with that level of authority, and the way you inspire these gay glee club geeks every single day, you will be an amazing teacher." She pulled away before adding, "What I just said doesn't leave this room."

Finn couldn't help but smile slightly. "Thank you, Sue." Sue gave a half smile back before realizing what she was doing, and left the choir room in an instant.

Artie rolled into the auditorium to find Tina sitting by herself. He took a deep breath, knowing what he was about to do and the pride he would have to swallow, and continued to roll out until he was in her vision. "You okay? I'm sorry about what Bree said to you."

Tina nodded. "We went to school with Santana Lopez for four years. Nothing Bree could say would ever really get to me."

"Well, maybe I was wrong. It seems like she's the biggest bitch at McKinley." Artie said, as the two shared a quick laugh, before he got serious once again. "Tina, I thought a lot about what you said, and you're right. I'm already in the Brooklyn Film Academy... my future is locked in, and yours is still up in the air. You know that over the years I've become very stubborn and prideful, and it might hurt my ego just a bit to say this, but I talked to Figgins, and you're going to be our senior class valedictorian."

Tina looked up at Artie, her eyes widening just as her smile did. "Wait, are you serious?" Artie nodded as Tina jumped up to hug him, squeezing her best friend as tight as she could. "Artie, thank you so much!"

"That's not all." Artie said, pulling his computer out of his backpack and opening a folder. "I got Principal Figgins, Mr. Schue, and Finn to write you letters of recommendation."

Tina was speechless. "W-what?"

"AND, I prepared a little video for you." Artie said, pressing play as the video began;

In the video, Artie sat at his desk. "I had barely any friends when I first got to William McKinley High School... well, until I met Tina Cohen-Chang. She was the first girl who looked at me like I was a regular person, and she was the first person I could truly call my friend. When we joined our school's glee club together, we had each other's backs, but it helped us both step out of our comfort zones and become the people we are today."

The video then cut to Finn, sitting in his office. "Tina was one of the original members of the New Directions, and she helped me see that there was more to my life than just football and being popular. If it weren't for her, I wouldn't have joined the glee club, won a National title, and became the coach of the club. I probably wouldn't be pursuing a teaching degree if it weren't for her!"

Next, there was Blaine and Sam. "Tina went from being a fly on the wall with a stutter to one of the faces of the New Directions. The club showed her how much talent she truly had, from singing and dancing, to costume and set design!" Blaine said happily. "She helped create so many amazing outfits for our competitions, that really complimented the songs we had on our setlist."

Sam nodded in agreement. "Yeah, Tina's the reason I wore those skimpy yellow boxers during Rocky Horror. I probably wouldn't have so many girls giving me the time of day if it weren't for that, so thanks, Tina!"

Lastly, there was the face of a man that Tina did not except to see in this video. She gasped as he popped up; it was her ex-boyfriend, the man she was still in love with deep down...

Michael Robert Chang.

"I come from a very traditional Asian family. My father wanted me to be a doctor, or go to law school, or something more... practical. But, it was always my dream to become a dancer. Tina helped me show my dad that there was more to life than business, and that the arts mattered. If it weren't for Tina, I wouldn't be at Juliard... she submitted my application for me. Tina Cohen-Chang is the most selfless, caring person I've ever met, and Brown would be so lucky to have her."

The video came to an end, and as Artie closed his laptop, Tina had tears running down her face. "You can use that on your application. Hopefully between that, the letters of recommendation, your extracurriculars, GPA, perfect attendance, and your title as valedictorian... Brown will see you for how amazing you are, just like we do." He smiled as he wheeled away, summoning the band to come out as they began a song Artie had arranged for this very moment.

{Tina sat up as she watched Artie begin to sing}

Another day has gone, I'm still all alone

How could this be? You're not here with me

You never said goodbye, someone tell me why

Did you have to go and leave my world so cold?

{Artie wheels closer to Tina, taking her hands}

Every day I sit and ask myself, "How did love slip away?"

Something whispers in my ear and says

That you are not alone, I am here with you

Though you're far away, I am here to stay

{Tina begins crying harder}

But you are not alone, I am here with you

Though we're far apart, you're always in my heart

But you are not alone

{Artie begins to sway in his chair as the New Directions all enter the auditorium}

Just the other night, I thought I heard you cry

Asking me to come and hold you in my arms

{The glee club surrounds Tina with hugs and cheek kisses as Artie continues}

I can hear your prayers, your burdens I will bear

But first I need your hand, then forever can begin

Every day I sit and ask myself, "How did love slip away?"

Something whispers in my ear and says

{Finn and Sue enter the auditorium with Mr. Schue and Miss Pillsbury, who have returned from their trip, as the glee club begins to hum along with Artie}

That you are not alone, I am here with you

Though you're far away, I am here to stay

But you are not alone, I am here with you

Though we're far apart, you're always in my heart

But you are not alone

{Artie holds his chest as he continues the song}

Oh, whisper three words and I'll come runnin'

And girl you know that I'll be there

I'll be there

{The glee club, Finn, Sue, Mr. Schue, and Miss Pillsbury join Artie on stage as he finishes his song for Tina}

That you are not alone, I am here with you

Though you're far away, I am here to stay

But you are not alone, I am here with you

Though we're far apart, you're always in my heart

But you are not alone

You and me, not alone, oh!

Together, together

Not not being alone!

You believe in me!

Tina ran up to Artie, in tears of happiness and appreciation, as she hugged him. The entire glee club clapped and joined in on a group hug, as Sue patted Finn on the back proudly. Mr. Schue looked at Finn and said, "Good job, buddy," before walking over to the glee club himself and announcing, "Alright, guys! Now that we're all here, I think we have one final song to perform for our Michael 2.0 week. Who's ready?"

"Look, I know that we don't know why Kurt called this meeting. It's probably to retire the band, but we can't rub it in and say 'I told you so'! That would be devastating!"

Rachel entered the Bushwick apartment and took a seat, as Santana, Elliot, and Dani sat, all looking visibly annoyed already. They were not pleased with the Callbacks incident, and after Kurt called them together, they wondered what the purpose would be.

"Well, I wouldn't do that, and I'm not gonna let Kurt disband Pamela Landsbury!" Elliot insisted. "Look, I might not agree with all of his decisions, but he is our leader, and he's an artist... and artists should be allowed to fail!" Rachel nodded in slight agreement while Santana sat next to her, rolling her eyes.

"Who says we failed?" Kurt asked as he walked in, holding a pink box. "Cronuts, anyone?"

"Hi!" Rachel said happily, while Santana, Dani, and Elliot all looked at Kurt in equal confusion.

As if to address their confusion, Kurt began to explain, "Oh, this? No big deal, just a little token from the booking agency of the Williamsburg Music Hall... which is the location of our second gig!"

"What?" Rachel asked.

"Are you serious?" Dani said in excitement.

"How?" Elliot asked in bewilderment.

"Okay, true, we only had one audience member at our last show, but it happened to be the right audience member." Kurt explained. "Not only was he a devoted Angela Landsbury fan, but he also liked what he saw, made a secret bootleg, and passed it along to his nephew, who works at the Williamsburg Music Hall!"

Elliot added, "Which just also happens to be..."

Santana finally interjected. "One of the hottest venues in Brooklyn! Good work, fearless leader!"

"Well, it wasn't just me, it was also just a lot of luck." Kurt said modestly, folding his arms and smiling. "And you guys, because, you know, whether Pamela Landsbury implodes or explodes, I really haven't thanked you guys for sticking by me!" He patted the coffee table and said, "I have a little idea for a number we could do at our next show."

{The number begins as Artie and Tina stand center stage}

[Artie]

There comes a time when we heed a certain call

When the world must come together as one

[Tina]

There are people dying

Oh when it's time to lend a hand to life

The greatest gift of all

{The scene cuts to Pamela Landsbury in the Bushwick living room}

[Santana and Dani]

We can't go on pretending day by day

That someone, somewhere will soon make a change

We are all apart of God's great big family

And the truth, you know

Love is all we need

[Pamela Landsbury]

We are the world, we are the children

We are the ones who make a brighter day

So let's start giving

There's a choice we're making

We're saving our own lives

It's true we'll make a better day

Just you and me

{The scene cuts back to the auditorium as Marley and Jake enter center stage}

[Marley]

Send them your heart so they'll know that someone cares

And their lives will be stronger and free

[Jake and Marley]

As God has shown us by turning stone to bread

So we all must lend a helping hand

[New Directions]

We are the world, we are the children

We are the ones who make a brighter day

So let's start giving

There's a choice we're making

We're saving our own lives

It's true we'll make a better day

Just you and me

{The rest of the glee club walks out}

[Unique]

When you're down and out, there seems no hope at all

[Ryder]

But if you just believe, there's no way we can fall

[Sugar]

Well, well, well

Let us realize, oh, that a change can only come

{Mr. Schue, Miss Pillsbury, Finn, and Sue look shocked at Sugar's actually decent voice}

[Blaine]

We are the world, we are the children

We are the ones who make a brighter day

So let's start giving

[Kitty]

There's a choice we're making

We're saving our own lives

It's true we'll make a better day

Just you and me

{The scene cuts back to Pamela Landsbury}

[Kurt and Elliot]

We are the world, we are the children

We are the ones who make a brighter day

So let's start giving

There's a choice we're making

We're saving our own lives

[Rachel]

It's true we'll make a better day

Just you and me

{The scene cuts back to the New Directions}

[Sam]

We are the world, we are the children

We are the ones who make a brighter day

So let's start giving

[Joe]

There's a choice we're making

We're saving our own lives

It's true we'll make a better day

Just you and me

[New Directions and Pamela Landsbury]

We are the world, we are the children

We are the ones who make a brighter day

So let's start giving

There's a choice we're making

We're saving our own lives

It's true we'll make a better day

Just you and me

glee

Season Five, Starring Cory Monteith

STARRING

Cory Monteith as Finn Hudson

Lea Michele as Rachel Berry

Matthew Morrison as Will Schuester

Jane Lynch as Sue Sylvester

Chris Colfer as Kurt Hummel

Naya Rivera as Santana Lopez

Kevin McHale as Artie Abrams

Jenna Ushkowitz as Tina Cohen-Chang

Darren Criss as Blaine Anderson

Chord Overstreet as Sam Evans

Melissa Benoist as Marley Rose

Jacob Artist as Jake Puckerman

Becca Tobin as Kitty Wilde

Alex Newell as Wade "Unique" Adams

Blake Jenner as Ryder Lynn

GUEST STARRING

Iqual Theba as Principal Figgins

Lauren Potter as Becky Jackson

Samuel Larsen as Joe Hart

Vanessa Lengies as Sugar Motta

Erinn Westbrook as Bree

Demi Lovato as Dani

Adam Lambert as Elliot "Starchild" Gilbert

Harry Shum Jr. as Mike Chang

Jayma Mays as Emma Pillsbury

SONG(S) PERFORMED:

Michael Jackson - Don't Stop 'Til You Get Enough: Performed by Pamela Landsbury

Michael Jackson - Billie Jean: Performed by Jake Puckerman

Michael Jackson - The Way You Make Me Feel: Performed by Blaine Anderson

Michael Jackson - They Don't Care About Us: Performed by Tina Cohen-Chang

Michael Jackson - You Are Not Alone: Performed by Artie Abrams

Michael Jackson/USA for Africa - We Are The World: Performed by New Directions and Pamela Landsbury