i love you more than anything
"Nationals." Mr Schue said as he stood in front of the whiteboard before walking over to stand beside Coach Sylvester. The room burst out in an excited cheer, hoping to actually win this year. "Okay, song selection: We'll be kicking off our Vintage theme with the legendary Jim Steinman's Paradise by the Dashboard Light. Rachel will do the solo, It's All Com-"
"Coming Back to Me Now." Rachel interrupted, very excited for her upcoming solo, "One of Celine Dion's most powerful ballads, inspired by Wuthering Heights."
Leant up against the piano, Coach Sylvester had a sly smile on her face, stopping at nothing to have her 'winning' idea used in their set, "And we'll be working in a new Treble Tones number, utilizing the talents of our featured performer, Porcelina Hummel."
"Not gonna happen, Dragon Lady." Kurt shook his head in refusal.
"Oh, you'll do as you're told, he/she." Sue decided. "We will be performing What A Feeling, from Flashdance, and I'm familiar with the choreography, of course, because I was Jennifer Beals' dance double. And on that note, please look under your seats."
With furrowed eyebrows at the request, Charlotte did as everyone else did and pulled out a box from under her chair, placing it on her lap and confusedly pulling out what Brittany described as a 'space helmet'.
"Welding helmets and leg warmers?" Finn questioned the woman, very unsure as to what was going on.
"Best way to get props is to use props." Coach Sylvester shrugged.
Not even caring as to why they had these boxes of helmets and leg warmers, Sam grinned as he put the helmet on over his head, turning to Charlotte who couldn't help but giggle at his excitement.
Turning in his seat, Sam looked at Joe, putting on his best Darth Vader impression. "I am your father."
At Joe's uncertain look, Charlotte leaned across Sam and shoved Joe's shoulder slightly. "Come on, dude! It's Darth Vader!"
"Is that a movie?" Joe asked, still unsure.
Sam removed his helmet from over his face, looking at Joe in shock. "Yeah. It's Star Wars. Even Charlotte knew and she falls asleep every time we watch it."
"A healthy dose of props, and our plucky transsexual Porcelina, and you are over the top." Coach Sylvester continued earning an eye roll from Kurt.
"Aren't props a little cheesy?" Blaine asked, looking at his helmet with furrowed eyebrows.
"Guys, I've asked for Sue's help because she's a winner, and I'm not ashamed to admit this. I want to win." Mr Schue explained as Sam tried to force Charlotte's helmet over her head in hopes of her joining the dark side.
With a quiet giggle, Charlotte whisper exclaimed in amusement, "Sam!"
Without hearing the couple, Mr Schue continued on swiftly, "But there's not one person in that audience who will think we're anything but underdogs who would be lucky to place in Nationals. We didn't even make the top ten last year. We've got one last week to come together and shake things up. If there's anyone here who is not up for trying and working their butts off, you should just get up right now and leave."
Hoping he had got the message across, Mr Schue wasn't expecting someone to get up right now and leave. However, with a bored expression on her face, Tina stood up from her seat and made her way to the door.
"Whoa, whoa, Tina, where you going?" Finn asked, a sudden sense of fear kicking in.
Turning on her heels back to face them all, Tina shrugged at the group of shocked faces. "You guys don't need me. Carry on."
In an urgent bid to get the girl to stay, Rachel almost panicked. "Tina, you don't understand.
I need this."
"Because you blew an audition?" Tina retaliated, completely annoyed by her reasons for needing her. "That's not a reason for you to get a solo at Nationals. Maybe the rest of us
would like one, too."
"I wouldn't mind another one before I get deported." Rory admitted.
"I want one." Sugar grinned. "Even though I can't sing."
Trying to get his girlfriend to stop and come back, Mike tried to reason, "Tina, Rachel is a senior."
"So are you, but you can bet the only thing you'll be doing is a dance break with Brittany." Tina shot back at her boyfriend before stating clearly, "Other people matter."
"Tina, you may not always get all the solos, but you are a key player." Mr Schue said. "I put you in charge of costumes."
"Wow! Like that's some prize." Tina sarcastically smiled in annoyance. "You want props to move around? Well, I'm a human prop, and I'm sick of it!"
"Take a lap and cool down, Asian Number One." Coach Sylvester suggested which didn't help the situation at all, it only made Tina feel worse.
"My name is Tina. Tina Cohen Chang!" She said with frustration lacing in her voice. Then, she stormed out of the room leaving everyone a little bit awkward.
Charlotte quickly nudged Mike to get him to go after her. "Go, be a good boyfriend." She encouraged and the boy rushed after the girl quickly.
"Isn't she the one who used to stutter?" Sue thought out loud.
***
Catching up to Mike as he walked into lunch, Charlotte made sure she was able to talk to him to help him understand where Tina is coming from. Grabbing a table for themselves, they both took a seat beside each other.
"I just don't get it." Mike said. "This is the seniors last chance."
Charlotte sighed and admitted, "I totally get where Tina is coming from."
"You do?" Mike questioned in surprise.
"Well yeah." She shrugged. "It's always been the Finn and Rachel show, and yeah they're talented and they have chemistry, but other people deserve a chance too."
Mike fidgeted a little, feeling a bit guilty for taking everything out on Tina. "I just... we need to win. This is the last chance for most of us."
"I get that you want to win. We all do. But don't you think we could win if other people were the leads?" She asked softly. "I mean, we won sectionals last year with Quinn and Sam as the lead, and Rachel didn't even compete in this years sectionals. Tina has the potential just like all the seniors do."
"God, I'm so stupid." Mike groaned, shoving his head in his hands.
Charlotte giggled a bit. "Just today, normally you're quite smart."
"Wow thanks." He shoved the girls shoulder with a chuckle.
"Just apologise to Tina. And yeah, maybe she won't get a solo this competition, but she had every right to speak her mind." Charlotte smiled, patting his shoulder.
"Okay." Mike nodded in understanding. "Thanks... for everything. I don't know what I'm going to do when I go to college."
Charlotte shook her head, stopping this conversation before she started crying in the middle of the cafeteria. "Nope, stop talking. I can't do this today. I'm saving my goodbye until the last minute."
"Alright." Mike giggled. "Just trying to make sure you know just how much I love you."
***
Sat on the sofa with Charlotte leaning against him as they watched a movie, Sam bounced his leg up and down nervously. Knowing him better than anyone, Charlotte could tell something was up.
Lifting her head off of his shoulder, she turned to him with a frown to see his eyes darted forwards, not even at the TV. "Sam?"
At her calling his name, Sam snapped his head to her anxiously. "What's up?"
"What's wrong?" She asked softly, taking his hand in hers and giving it a squeeze. "You have something playing on your mind. Are your alright?"
Sam sighed, knowing he had to talk to her about his issue sooner rather than later, "Uh, my mom and dad called me last night with some news."
"Is everything okay?" She asked, perking her head up in anticipation of what they had said.
Sam nodded his head, but he didn't seem too happy. "Yeah. It's great news actually."
"So why are you so worried?" Charlotte asked with furrowed eyebrows as he sighed.
"They're moving back to Lima." Sam announced and Charlotte smiled at him, not sure why he was so skeptical about it.
"What's wrong with that?"
Sam frowned, looking down as he fiddled with her fingers. "I'm gonna have to move out. What if it ends up being a step back for us? We've lived together since sectionals. What if we don't last after that?"
Charlotte sent him a soft smile, taking his face in her hands to get him to look at her. "You don't have to worry about that, Sam. I mean, look at us, I managed to be completely in love with you when you was in Kentucky. I think I can keep falling in love with you with you living with your parents in the same town."
"But we've been together everyday for most of this year, what if everything changes?" Sam asked, still unsure.
"Not many sixteen year olds live with their boyfriend or girlfriend." Charlotte reminded him. "Don't you think that if we didn't live together it would make the time we spend together even more special?"
"I guess." Sam sighed.
Sensing his worry still whirling around in his head, Charlotte leant closer to him in an assuring manner. "I promise, it will all be fine. It's only a year and then we can go off to college and take on New York together. I mean it, Sam, I love you more than anything, living apart will be okay- as much as I'll miss you making me breakfast every morning."
"I love you." Sam smiled as he let out a content sigh, closing the gap between them, kissing her lips softly.
After a little while, they pulled apart and Charlotte wanted to make sure he was definitely alright. "You happier now?"
"Yeah." He nodded, kissing her again as she smiled.
***
"A-five, six, seven, eight." Coach Sylvester yelled as the New Directions went over the Choreography for What A Feeling despite the awkwardness the props were creating.
Apparently the Glee Club just weren't doing good enough as they attempted to dance with helmets over their heads. Charlotte could hardly see and kept bumping into everything, and after a few seconds of a routine that wasn't cutting it for Coach Sylvester, the woman demanded that the music was cut.
"This is an unmitigated disaster." She complained harshly. "Jennifer Beals is spinning in her grave. Gentlemen, I asked for a cascade of sparks timed to the rhythm."
"I can't see through this helmet." Mike admitted, lifting the helmet from his face.
"I took mine off." Brittany said with a shrug. "Metal sparks in your face is how you get freckles."
"Is this even legal?" Blaine questioned, skeptical.
"Yeah, shouldn't we be in some sort of grinding union?" Sam asked and Charlotte turned to Santana who had a smirk on her face.
"Wanky." She commented making Charlotte giggle quietly from beside her.
"Sue, they're right." Mr Schue said, defending the kids. "They can't pick up advanced choreography when they're weighed down by helmets and metal grinders."
"Grind, grind, pivot, kick, pivot, spin, flip, split." Coach Sylvester said as if it were the easiest thing in the world. "What's complicated
about that?"
"These props were supposed to add to the routine, not be the routine." Mr Schue sighed.
"Well, maybe you're right, William." Coach Sylvester scoffed. "Maybe basic sheet metal work is just too much for your 12th place choir.
Porcelain, thoughts?"
"I'm not doing a drag number." Kurt insisted.
"We need a new approach. I have an idea."
***
After Kurt refused to dress in drag, Coach Sylvester was still on the look out for their unique factor. Wanting to up her prop game, she had apparently ordered everyone a little person to dance on stage with.
In a midst their complaints, everyone was cut off when they saw something they were not expecting.
With a stunned facial expression, Mr Schue was almost speechless at the sight in front of him. "Puck?"
There Noah Puckerman was, stood in a dress and a blonde wig. Charlotte turned to Sam with her mouth wide open in surprise, giggling when Puck flicked his new blonde locks in a confident manner.
"Hello..." Sugar twirled a strand of hair with a smile.
Looking away awkwardly, Mercedes muttered, "My eyes are burning."
"Look at those legs." Mike mumbled in a trance as everyone stared at Puck.
"I am strangely turned on right now." Santana confessed.
"Please only address me by my stage name." Puck announced, "Lola."
Although impressed, Sue Sylvester was horrified, "Puckerman, I respect your commitment to winning, but without a doubt, you are the ugliest woman I have ever seen. For a second there, I thought you were Beiste's sister."
"It's not about being pretty." Puck interjected. "It's about someone in here having the balls
to do what he has to do to put us over the top."
"Well, you know, if this is gonna work, you're gonna have to shave off all of your body hair." Sue shook her head, looking at Puck who took that pointer into consideration.
"Enough!" Mr Schue shouted. "Sue, look, I really appreciate all the help you've been giving us but I am done with all this props madness.
All we're doing for the next three hours is learning choreography for Dash Board. Puck, go change."
"You can't unsee something like that." Artie said as Puck took off his wig and made his way out of the room, slightly disappointed that he went to all that trouble for nothing.