Worlds Colliding (Glee) Book One

chapter 5 - The Rhodes Not Taken

Day One

McKinley High School - Hallway

Will was hanging a sign for the McKinley High Glee Club Invitational.

♫

Choir Room

The Glee Club was practicing Don't Stop Believing, with the Johnson brothers playing the instruments again.

Ricky stepped forward. "A singer in a smokey room."

Monica stepped forward. "The smell of wine and cheap perfume."

Ricky and Monica sang together. "For a smile, they can share the night." They circled each other, smiling at the other, singing. "It goes on / And on and on and on."

Quinn could no longer sing backup when she felt morning sickness come on, putting a hand to her mouth, running out of the room in a hurry.

"Quinn, you okay?" Connor asked.

Quinn closed the door behind her.

Finn lied to the members of the Glee Club that didn't know Quinn was pregnant. "I think she just had a bad breakfast burrito."

"Can we please talk about the giant elephant in the room?" Kurt asked.

"Your sexuality?" Santana asked.

Kurt ignored her. "Rachel. We can't do this without her."

Sara gave them a look. "That's not true. There's a lot of good singers in here. Monica, Annika, Ashley, Mercedes, Tina, Quinn, Santana, Brittany, you girls are so good at singing. Some voices are stronger, some are softer, but still beautiful nonetheless. Ricky, Finn, Cameron, Caleb, Connor, Artie, Kurt, Puck, same thing. Ricky, Monica, Annika, Ashley, Cameron, Caleb, Connor, Brittany and Mike are the best dancers in here, and we can use that to our advantage."

"We'll be fine," Ricky told them.

"Maybe for the invitationals, but not for the Sectionals, and certainly not the Regionals," Artie told them.

"The wheelchair kid's right," Puck told them. "That Rachel chick makes me want to light myself on fire, but she can sing."

Monica was annoyed by everyone talking about this. "Rachel left, guys. And she's still trying to make me leave. She's gone."

"And like Mrs. Sylvester said, she's not the only one in here that can sing," Ashley told them.

"Now, if we're gonna make this thing work, we can't look back," Will told them. "All right, take five, guys."

As everyone walked away to sit down, Finn walked up to Will, Ricky and Sara. "Um, I don't want to tell you how to do your job, but, uh, with all the dancing around that Quinn's doing, I'm kind of worried about the baby."

Sara nodded in understanding and agreement. "Yeah. Yeah, I get it. Um, how about we give Tina a few of her verses, okay? Since you, Ricky, Monica, Annika, Ashley, Caleb, Cameron and Connor all have verses in the song, too."

Ricky nodded. "Okay."

Will looked at Finn. "You think you might wanna tell your mom about what's going on?"

"I think I'd rather handle it myself right now," Finn answered. "My mom's got enough to worry about."

Sara and Will exchanged a knowing look, sighing. Ricky looked at them.