New York Minute Chapter 8: Rally Around, a glee fanfic

I went back to school in a haze. It just didn't feel right still and I didn't think it really ever would again. We had Regionals rapidly approaching and it was going to feel so weird having my mom as the assistant coach, and my dad's not being there to cheer me on. It put me in a funk that I didn't expect it to. Living with a younger sister was proving to be the most difficult though. Beth was a good kid in most aspects, but she was still in the terrible two's stage and I just wasn't used to dealing with a little kid running around and getting into my stuff. Thankfully Shelby had agreed to let me keep my door shut and locked as long as I wasn't in there. When I was in there I would have to have the door unlocked. For now we were still living in my dad's house, but we were currently looking for a house in the area, we just hadn't found anything good for what mom could afford. I wanted to get a job to help her out, but she wouldn't let me. I wandered into the choir room at the end of the day feeling even more down. I threw my backpack down in a chair and ran my hands through my hair. I glanced around at the currently empty room. No one was here yet, which I found odd. The bell had rang nearly ten minutes ago. I sighed and plopped down on the piano bench. I ran my hands across the ivory keys and smiled at the sensation I felt in my fingertips. I grinned to myself and started to play "Thank you for the Music". I started humming before I began singing softly at first.

"I'm nothing special, in fact I'm a bit of a bore. If I tell a joke, you've probably heard it before. But I have a talent, a wonderful thing, cause everyone listens when I start to sing! I'm so grateful and proud, all I want is to sing it out loud." I was so into it that I hadn't even noticed Shelby come in until she joined me on the chorus.

"So I say, thank you for the music, the songs I'm singing. Thanks for all the joy their bringing. Who can live without it I ask in all honesty, what would life be? Without a song or a dance what are we? So I say thank you for the music for giving it to me." We sang together. I turned to look at her and stop but she nodded for me to continue. I took a deep breath and began the second verse.

"Mother says I was a dancer before I could walk. She says I began to sing long before I could talk. But I've often wondered how did it all start? Who found out that nothing could capture a heart like a melody can? Well whoever it was, I'm a fan!" I belted confidently.

"So I say, thank you for the music, the songs I'm singing. Thanks for all the joy their bringing. Who can live without it I ask in all honesty, what would life be? Without a song or a dance what are we? So I say thank you for the music for giving it to me." We finished together strongly. I smiled up at her and she smiled in return before sitting down next to me on the piano bench.

"Where is everyone?" She asked. I shrugged and absentmindedly played the piano quietly.

"Finn said he was coming, where is Mr. Schue?" I asked. Shelby shrugged.

"I haven't seen him since this morning when we talked about what we wanted to do at practice." Shelby answered.

"Maybe they're in the auditorium?" I suggested. She nodded.

"Something is definitely up, I say we go check it out." She suggested. I nodded and stood up from the piano bench. I grabbed my backpack before following my mom out of the choir room. McKinley high school was empty now, unless you were in Glee or had some kind of sports practice, you didn't hang around after school. The second we stepped foot into the darkened auditorium the lights came on to reveal the whole Glee club standing on the stage.

"We know that you guys are going through a rough time so we just wanted to sing you a little song to remind you that we're here for you and things are going to get better." Mr. Schue announced before stepping back and letting the Glee club take over. Finn stepped forward first.

"Where is the moment when you need it the most? You kick up the leaves and the magic is lost. They tell me your blue skies fade to grey, they tell me your passion's gone away, and I don't need no carrying on!" Finn sang loudly.

"You stand in the line just to hear a new low, you're faking a smile with the coffee you go. You tell me your life's been way off line, you're falling to pieces every time, and I don't need no carrying on!" Sam took over for him. The rest of the club stepped up for the chorus.

"Because you had a bad day. You're taking one down, you sing a sad song just to turn it around. You say you don't know. You tell me don't lie. You work at a smile and you go for a ride. You had a bad day, the camera don't lie. You're coming back down and you really don't mind, you had a bad day. You had a bad day!" They sang in impressive four part harmony.

"Well you need a blue sky holiday, the point is they laugh at what you say, and I don't need no carryin' on!" Santana belted.

"Sometimes the system goes on the blink, and the whole thing turns out wrong. You might not make it back and you know, that you could be well oh that strong. And I'm not wrong!" Artie sang, holding out 'wrong' beautifully and ad-libing a few yeahs before Quinn stepped up.

"So where is the passion when you need it the most, oh you and I. You kick up the leaves and the magic is lost." She sang.

"Oh yeah!" Mercedes belted as the Glee club sang over her the chorus.

"Alright guys, practice time!" He announced.

Songs featured in the chapter

Thank You for the Music- ABBA

Bad Day- Daniel Powter