Graceland (A GLEE Fanfiction)

Musicals (Part 1)

"So," Mr. Schue announced, "Nationals is coming up!" Everyone cheered. "And, I finally have this year's theme, which is..." Everyone drumrolled on their lap, and Mr. Schue exclaimed, "Broadway!"

Rachel, Kurt, and Gabe all exchanged smiles at each other. They were all thinking one thing: We got this in the bag.

"Isn't Nationals in Los Angeles this year? So, wouldn't that theme be more fitting if Nationals was in, say, New York?" Melissa questioned.

"Good point," Mr. Schue started, but Rachel interrupted.

"BUT there are an abundant number of movie-musicals out." Some of the members were confused, so she named a few. "Grease? Dreamgirls? Les Mis? Funny Girl, to name a few?"

"Rachel has a point," Mr. Schue agreed as she sat down, "so for this week's assignment, you are to find a song from any musical and sing it so that we can try and figure out our setlist." He looked to his Broadway-obsessed alumni and added, "And for our group number, I was thinking of letting our two Broadway experts choreograph and choose the song."

"Three," Gabe corrected.

"Right. Three."

Gabe gave a quick thumbs up before the three of them quickly discussed what song they wanted, and everyone else was discussing what songs they were gonna do.

"Funny Girl is MY territory, got it?" Melissa demanded.

"Actually," Tina pipped up, "that's Rachel's."

"She's only the help."

Elsewhere in the choir room, Marley and Jake were trying to find a perfect duet song for the assignment.

"We could do Come What May," Jake suggested.

"Too generic," Marley disagreed.

"Light My Candle?"

"Too raunchy."

"Anything You Can Do?"

"WAY too hard."

"Well, we have to think of something."

While Jake was thinking of other songs to sing, Marley received a text from Ryder: Meet me in the auditorium tomorrow. 3:30.

Not wanting to bring up a long conversation which led to questions, she simply replied with a K.

Meanwhile, at the back of the room, the group of college freshmen - now joined by Blaine - were discussing the group number. Rachel had a few songs in mind, but they were quickly turned down by Kurt, who said, "No Barbra."

"Yeah, I have to agree with Kurt on this one," Santana added. "That's nobody's genre but yours and Barbra's herself."

"Damn," Rachel whispered.

"What about something from Wicked?" Kurt suggested.

"Nah," Gabe disagreed. "That's too typical. I mean, Dancing Through Life would be a really good choice, but it's too predictable and overdone."

"We could just sing Don't Stop Believin' again," Mercedes said. "I mean, isn't it in a musical?"

"It's in Rock of Ages," Rachel answered. "And no, not that song. It..." She felt another tear fall from her eye, and Kurt, Mercedes, and Santana instantly realized why she turned it down.

Kurt could tell that Gabe was confused, so he spoke. "It hits too close to home."

"Well, we need something," Blaine spoke. "Come on, we're among two of the biggest Broadway geeks this school has ever seen. There has to be something in those wonderful brains of yours." He attempted to put his hand on Kurt's lap, but it was quickly pushed away, followed by another Really? stare; since Blaine had been keeping track, it was the fourth one given to him since Kurt had arrived.

"We could sing that one song from Les Mis," Mercedes then suggested. "What was it called again?"

She started humming the tune, and Rachel instantly recognized it. "Do You Hear the People Sing?"

"Yeah."

"I'm gonna have to say no on that one. Sorry Mercedes, but that song and musical is just overdone."

Kurt nodded, agreeing with her before coming up with something. "I just thought of two songs."

"Shoot," Gabe said, leaning his head toward the grad.

"Either Seize the Day from Newsies or La Vie Boheme from RENT."

"Remind me," Santana asked, "but which one's RENT again?"

"That's the one with the filmmaker and the gay people in New York," Blaine responded before turning to Kurt. "I say go with Seize the Day because it could show off the New Directions's great dancing."

"I disagree," the Latina spoke again. "You guys suck at dancing, minus mini-Quinn and Puckerman. I say La Vie."

"I second that," Gabe agreed, "because I have the perfect image in my mind of who's gonna be Joanne." He eyed Melissa, who was distracting herself from the world through her iPhone.

"All in favor of La Vie Boheme from RENT, written by Jonathan Lawson - "

"May his soul rest in peace," Kurt interrupted, but kept quiet so Rachel could continue.

"Say I." Everyone except Blaine agreed, and he simply kept his mouth shut when she asked who opposed, making La Vie the final group song for the week.

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Sorry this chapter was a bit short. It's really only a filler, but it'll build up to the other stuff.

See you guys next chapter!! :)

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