Two days later...

Rachel's POV:

"Okay, everyone. Now that sectionals are officially over, we can all take a deep breath and be very thankful that that stress is over. But, now? We have a much bigger stress on our hands. Regionals." I say with a smile on my face. I couldn't believe that we had really won sectionals the day before. I mean, the feeling was an absolute rush. Yes, we have won every year now, but this year is the most important!" I say with enthusiasm to everyone as we all wait for Mr. Shue to walk into the choir room, and everyone looks at me like I have three heads

"Rach, I don't mean to be a debbie downer on your plan to start rehearsing for Regionals, but, a lot of us are still celebrating our win at sectionals! I mean, I don't know about everyone else, but I thought that we were gonna come in second behind Grant High School. Their set was amazing!" Kurt says to everyone, and they all agree. I nod my head in agreement, but we still have to start practicing for regionals.

"Yeah, I gotta agree with Kurt. They were amazing, and their soloist blew it out of their water! Santana chimes in, and I sigh

"Guys, as much as we want to hold on to this sectionals win, we've done it every year. Every year we celebrate too much on the fact that we won sectionals that we never prepare enough for regionals. That's exactly what cost us the win during Sophomore year, and last year, I think we were extremely lucky to have won that, seeing how distracted everyone was at the time. I think we just have to focus on Regionals, and listen to everything Mr. Shue has to say today because I'm sure he already has our setlist for regionals picked out" Finn says, and gets up to stand right next to me. I smile at him and hold his hand, and then he kisses me on the top of my head. It felt good having back up in these kinds of situations where everyone would just call me a control freak that's obsessed with winning as they did in Sophomore year.

"Finn and Rachel are right, you guys. We have to prepare more than we have in the last two years. For most of us, this will be the last time any of us step on a regionals stage! We need to give it out all." Quinn says, and she looks at me and smiles, and I smile back. It feels good after all that drama last year to have Quinn back by my side. Just as I go to say something to Quinn, we hear footsteps coming into the choir room, and Finn and I rush to our seats to see what Mr. Shue has planned for us. To everyone's surprise, Ms. Pillsbury walks in with a nervous look on her face

"Hey Ms. Pillsbury," Mercedes says confused, and we all look at Ms. Pillsbury with the same look.

"Um, not to be rude or anything Ms. Pillsbury, but where's Mr. Shue?" Sam asks, and Ms. Pillsbury takes a deep breath and sighs

"Listen, kids. There's been some, uh, issues in Mr. Shue's life that are going on so he has taken a couple of personal days to figure it out. He told me to come here so I could observe you guys, but, he told me that you are basically making your own setlist for Regionals" She says, and my eyes open wide

"Wait, when is Mr. Shuester coming back?!" I exclaim, and she sighs

"He told me he is coming back three days before Regionals," She says, and we all look around at each other like our world just crumbled

"Wait, so, he expects us to just come up with a setlist without him, and without his help? Are you kidding me?" Santana says, and Ms. Pillsbury sighs

"I will still be here supervising you guys, since you guys can't be here unattended. So, if you really need to, you can ask me. I've spent enough time with Will to know a thing or two about glee club. But, he said that he wants Brittany and Mike to come up with the dance moves that can go along with the songs you guys choose. He also says he would like the group number to be all-inclusive, as in everyone has their own part in the song" She says, and I look down at the ground.

"Is that all, Ms. Pillsbury?" I ask her, and she nods

"Well, if we need you, we'll come get you. I'm sure Mr. Shue wouldn't mind you using his office while he's gone" I say, and she nods

"Okay, well, please call me over if you need anything. I'm here to help" She says, and walks into Mr. Shue's office. For a few minutes, no one moves a muscle, besides our heads looking at everyone wondering where to start. I take a deep breath and stand up in front of the class

"Okay, it's no secret that I would be the first one to stand up to take initiative, but I'm not like I was in Sophomore year. I'm not gonna be a diva and make this all about me. Most of us are seniors. So, I think that each of us should get a say" I say, and then almost as if on command, everyone starts talking at once. I couldn't understand a word of what anyone was saying, so I turned around and closed my eyes trying to focus on their voices. No matter how hard I tried, I could still hear all of their voices joined together like one big sounds. All of a sudden, I feel a pair of hands on my shoulders

"Hey, Rach. You okay?" Finn asks me, and I turn around and look into his eyes

"I just, I want to make everyone happy. I don't want to make anyone mad about the choice I pick, or what others pick. I just thought it would be a lot easier than a bunch of smushed together voices" I say, and he smiles

"Rachel, out of everyone in this room, you're the one who's been in this club from the very beginning. You know the ins and outs of the world of glee club. I mean, your birth mom is the coach of Vocal Adrenaline, who is our biggest competition in regionals. Competing is in your blood. Trust me when I say that you'll know which song is the right one to sing as our group number" He says, kisses me on the forehead, and then sits back down. I turn back around, and stare at the whiteboard. What would Mr. Shue do if he was here? Usually, he writes down a lesson for the week on the board, and we all have to come up with songs that fit with the theme of the lesson. But, we don't have time for lessons. Unlike last year, Regionals is 3 weeks away, not 2 months.We have an extremely less amount of time to practice and get everything together. Since I couldn't think of a lesson, I wrote down what we should be focusing on: Regionals. I wrote it in big letters on the whiteboard, and then once everyone saw what I had written down, they all went silent. I don't know if writing it down made it real, or that they were just confused as to why I was writing down Regionals on the whiteboard, but the silence helped me think better. A few moments into the silence, I thought of the perfect group song to sing at Regionals and I quickly wrote it down on the board:

From Now On.

"From Now On?" Santana questions

"Yeah, Rachel, isn't that the song from that musical with the circus?" Quinn asks me, and I nod

"Yes. Yes it is. But, it has such a powerful message! A man overtaken by fame and fortune finally rememebrs why he started out his business in the first place! And it was all for his family! Throughout the song, he goes back to the wife he has loved all of his life, and the two daughters he loves so much" I say, and they are all looking at me still confused

"Um, Rach, that's a great lesson to learn in the real life. But, only if you're marries. I mean, I know that you and Finn are gearing up to start a life together with that promise ring, but no one here can relate to owning a business and it ruining out life with a wife or husband and our kids" Santana says, and I smile

"We can't relate to it with the whole husband and wife part, but think about it. Everytime we've prepared for a competition, there seems to be so much going on. Like our first year competing, I was pregnant. And.... and then I miscarried." I pause for a moment so that I can take a deep breath and hold back my tears. "But, I stood back and realized that I couldn't just sulk around about what could've been. Kurt, Karofsky bullying you was also another obstacle. I mean, you almost moved away because of it! But, then you found Blaine and realized that you were stronger than the bullying because we all had your back. Guys, time adn time again we get challenges thrown in our faces. Sometimes, those challenges are slushies and they are literally thrown in our face. But, we still compete every year and we still keep getting better and better. This song is about growth, and realizing that growth. And, I think it's time that we finally focus on all of the growth that we've all done over the years." I say, and as I see everyones confused looks turn to smiles, I realize that this song was definitely the right decision.

"So Rach, what parts do we each get?" Kurt asks, and everyone laughs a little

"What?! It's my senior year, I want a featured part!" He exclaims playfully, but I know he is actually completely serious.

"Don't worry. We are following Mr. Shue's rule and everyone will have a featured part in this song. I mean, there's enough lyrics to go around for everybody. But, we do have to address the elephant in the room: Blaine. This is your first year competing with us. I have to let you know that we are nothing like the warblers." I say to him, and he laughs

"Yes, Kurt told me everything about the way that you guys rehearse and I love it already. The warblers were so uniformed. I mean, we were good, but it felt more like a job than a club. It felt like working with family. Now? It'll be winning, and having fun with family" He says, and I smile.

"Now, I know that you tried out for Mr. Shue, but I think that since he isn't here..... We are going to need to hear something from you" I say, and he smiles and looks at Kurt. He turns back to me, and gets up out of his chair and comes to the front of the choir room

"Okay then. Be prepared to have your socks knocked off from this once in a lifetime opportunity to hear this song from me" Blaine says, and everyone laughs a little. Brad starts playing piano, and we all start listening intently

You think I'm pretty without any make-up on
You think I'm funny when I tell the punchline wrong
I know you get me, so I let my walls come down
Down
Before you met me, I was alright
But things were kinda heavy, you brought me to life
Now every February, you'll be my Valentine
Valentine
Let's go all the way tonight
No regrets, just love
We can dance until we die
You and I will be young forever
You make me feel like I'm living a teenage dream
The way you turn me on, I can't sleep
Let's run away and don't ever look back, don't ever look back
My heart stops when you look at me
Just one touch, now baby, I believe this is real
So take a chance and don't ever look back, don't ever look back
We drove to Cali and got drunk on the beach
Got a motel and built a fort out of sheets
I finally found you, my missing puzzle piece
I'm complete
Let's go all the way tonight
No regrets, just love
We can dance until we die
You and I will be young forever
You make me feel like I'm living a teenage dream
The way you turn me on, I can't sleep
Let's run away and don't ever look back, don't ever look back
My heart stops when you look at me
Just one touch, now baby, I believe this is real
So take a chance and don't ever look back, don't ever look back
I'ma get your heart racing in my skin-tight jeans
Be your teenage dream tonight
Let you put your hands on me in my skin-tight jeans
Be your teenage dream tonight
Girl
You make me feel like I'm living a teenage dream
The way you turn me on, I can't sleep
Let's run away and don't ever look back, don't ever look back
My heart stops when you look at me
Just one touch, now baby, I believe this is real
So take a chance and don't ever look back, don't ever look back
I'ma get your heart racing in my skin-tight jeans
Be your teenage dream tonight
Let you put your hands on me in my skin-tight jeans
Be your teenage dream tonight

"Well, I think I speak for everyone that you are definitely in the new directions!" I say to Blaine, and everyone cheers while he laughs. Kurt runs up to Blaine and kisses him softly

"Blaine that was amazing!" I overhear Kurt say

"Thanks babe. I, uh, wanted to dedicate it to you. You are definitely, my teenage dream" Blaine says to Kurt, and I hear Kurt giggle. I turn to Finn and smile, and he looks back confused

"Why such a big smile?" He asks me, and I sigh

"Just.... everything. At the beginning of this year, I would've never thought that this would happen. Kurt happy with Blaine and the same school, us being together, and you..... actually here. It's... it's like a dream" I say, and Finn smiles back at me before kissing me. We both pull away from the kiss and Finn goes to speak

"You know, I have a great feeling about this year, Rachel. I just... after everything that has happened over the past few months, I didn't think we would be here. But, we are" he says, and I smile

"I love you Finn Hudson" I say

"I love you too Rachel Berry" he says, and we share a kiss