A/N: So, here is the results of New Directions heading to Nationals. Plus a special cameo appearance of a certain someone. :)

May 29th- San Diego- Nationals-

Kurt could sum up the situation right now in four words.

The tension was thick.

Really, really thick.

So thick that a steak knife would have difficulty cutting through it.

All right that may be pushing the analogies a bit.

No one was saying a word.

Kurt's hands were currently being gripped by Blaine and Santana.

Santana of all people was gripping his hand so hard, that bruises were undoubtedly going to be showing up tomorrow.

Kurt was beginning to lose feeling in his hands, but he wasn't going to say anything. He didn't think he could without his voice breaking.

Mr Schuester was sitting, head in his hands.

Rachel and Finn were probably the only ones making any noise, because she was busy trying to breathe in a paper bag and Finn was whispering words to her to try and calm her down.

It was so Rachel.

Everyone else is similary doing to each other what Santana and Blaine were doing to Kurt's hands.

The only one that didn't seem affected by all of this was Brittany. Kurt could kiss her for it. She was sitting on the floor, leaning against Santana's legs, stretching one minute, painting her nails the next.

Scattered throughout the convention center, there are several waiting rooms had show choirs anxiously waiting for the results of Nationals. There were two others in this waiting room with Kurt and the rest of New Directions.

While he could hear many of the other show choirs buzzing with noise (the walls were not that thick), everyone here was pretty much being quiet.

The silence is unnerving, unsettling, and nervewracking. Since the first hour of waiting passed, the urge to explode was building, and he was desperately trying not to be the one to crack from it all. Because while he can have his diva moments, he categorically refuses, REFUSES, to be the first one to crack.

From Saturday until late last night (when the last group performed) it had been nothing but constant noise and activity.

New Directions had their own share of blows ups as per the course, but at least they took place before they performed. (And no kisses on stage this time.) There had been five all together: Sam and Kurt (Which surprised all because Sam and Kurt always got along until that moment, and that was due to Kurt not being able to take another impression from Sam), Santana and Rachel, Quinn and Santana, and then surprisingly, Blaine and Santana.

Everyone knew that Blaine doesn't like conflict, that he prefers to try the soft hand approach and get things mediated before things get bigger. That all he wants is to be heard and that all can say their piece without having to fight. And thanks to Finn spreading that whole 'Dalton Fight Club' thing during Sectionals, everyone now made it a point to listen to Blaine when he spoke up, (Kurt originally found it damn annoying and at one point, they had a stupid argument over it) so when he and Santana got into they all watched wondering what would happen and Kurt just sat there, feeling quite smug at the end of it all when Blaine accomplished what so few can when arguing with Santana.

He won.

It was awesome, as Finn would declare seconds later at that time.

But the biggest blow up they had, and which actually worked in New Directions favor for the their first song, was when word got to Finn about Jesse St Sucks apparently being here, and that Rachel and St Sucks spent an hour together talking. (Kurt had a good idea who told Finn, as he didn't even know until Rachel and Finn started going at it.)

So yeah, all the craziness was actually comforting and now this silence is just unnerving.

"Shit!"

Kurt starts, completely not expecting an outburst, and he winces at the tightening of his left hand in Santana's hand. It wasn't anyone from New Directions.

"I can't take this anymore! This is becoming so freaking unbearable!"

And I wasn't the first to crack. Thank you oh so much.

"What the-" Blaine whispers, sounding as rattled as he felt, and within moments Kurt sees a member from one of the other groups storming out of the waiting room, a boy following her quickly, and then an older woman (The director most likely) as Kurt can hear the rant on waiting and nerves and everything else from here.

"Was that Isabella?" Blaine whispers again.

Kurt nods. He would recognize that wild red hair with purple streaks anywhere, even after a short acquaintance. They had ended up running into the volatile singer in the airport in San Diego when they arrived. She was having a fit of Rachel like proportions, only it seemed more grandiose really.

"That's the chick that was freaking out in the airport," Santana speaks up then. "Who knew someone could be a bigger diva than Rachel Berry?"

The silence is broken then by everyone snickering. They get looks from the other two choirs, (And dirty looks from Finn and Rachel, in between puffs in that paper bag) and just like that the tension disappears.

Kurt takes advantage of that. "I've lost feeling in my hands."

Santana looks over at him, and he looks pointedly at his hand. She looks down at their clasped hands then her gaze jerks back to him in shock. She lets go of him as quickly as she can.

"Sorry," Blaine murmurs, letting go of Kurt's hand, then rubs his wrist.

"It's fine. You're allowed." Kurt squeezes his hand in return, their ankles crossing, and fingers interlocking.

"What choir was that girl from?" Brittany says in a low voice.

Blaine gestures to the choir currently decked out in red and white outfits. "The Tidal Waves from Maine."

"I like tidal waves," Brittany comments, then goes back to stretching, as it seems she's done with painting her nails.

Just then Isabelle is being led back into the room, the boy on one side whispering to her, the older woman looking a bit stressed.

"All I'm saying is that this wait is freaking ridiculous," Isabelle snaps as the three pass them to meet the other group. The older woman sinks down into a chair next to Mr Schue, who's no longer holding his head in his hands.

"I wonder how the Warblers are holding up?"

Blaine holds out his cell phone, showing Kurt a text that was sent by Jeff from the looks of it. He must have had his phone on silent, because he doesn't recall hearing any of those sounds that come from getting texts.

iLogan just came down from a panic attack. Now it's Thad's turn./i

"Maybe we should get Logan, Isabelle, and Rachel together?" Kurt muses, thinking that would be an intriguing mix.

Just ten minutes in Isabelle's company at the airport truly revealed a lot about the volatile singer and Kurt found out she had been recruited by a theatre group as Kurt had been. The Red Umbrellas, a group that has stayed nationally ranked as number one for years, one that the White Ravens can't seem to knock off.

"Come on when are they going to post the results?" Puck explodes.

"Better be soon, our plane departs at eight pm," Kurt mutters. "It's three already. Mr Schue really sucks at this scheduling flights thing."

"I heard that Kurt."

"Like Santana once said, I am just speaking the truth."

The sound of a P.A system being turned on echoes throughout the waiting room and no doubt the rest of the building. Kurt winces at the sharp sound, as does everyone else.

Except Rachel.

The Judges will be posting the results in fifteen minutes, in the main lobby. Results will be posted in fifteen minutes, in the main lobby."

That set off everyone, and Kurt could hear Isabella clearly shout "Yes!" as well as Rachel's excited "Finally!".

Fifteen minutes.

In fifteen minutes, they'll know if New Directions has one more performance with all their original members.

Almost all their original members.

At that thought, a moment of sadness rises in Kurt, and he lets it stay there for a minute before willing it away.

15 Minutes Later

"Looks like we're going to have to wait a few more minutes guys."

Kurt bites his tongue to prevent the the incredibly rude and sarcastic thought from becoming verbal. He does have manners after all.

"That's obvious, Mr Schue, as we all have eyes and can see that it's a bit crowded right now," Santana's voice drawls out.

She does not, on the other hand.

"Was it like this last year?" Blaine asks curiously.

"Pretty much."

"Which Rachel and Finn ending up ruining-" Santana's snarl is cut off as a familiar voice cuts her off with an excited holler.

Jesse St Sucks.

He's currently hugging an older woman, then they both go off to a small group about fifteen feet away. Seconds later there is shrieking and hugging.

"St Sucks group made it to the top ten," Kurt growls. He hears Finn muttering something and Rachel telling him to stop.

"Hey there's the Council," Blaine points out to the three Dalton uniforms that come into view.

A couple other people move away, and Kurt's stomach tightens as Mr Schuester goes up to the board, as well as the older woman that seems to be the director of that choir from Maine. Kurt spots Isabella talking to the boy that had followed her out when she had snapped. He has a similar look that Finn gets when Rachel starts going on about something.

"Ohhhhhh!"

Kurt's attention snaps back over to where people are crowded around the board with the results. The three Warblers are jumping up and down, and he recognizes Logan as he spins around. He spots Kurt and Blaine.

"They ranked us eighth!" He cries out.

Kurt, Blaine and the rest of New Directions catcall and exchange hugs with the three Warblers, even Santana.

"Hey guys," Mr Schuester calls out, and everyone's freezes.

"We gotta go tell the rest of the Warblers, good luck," Logan whispers to Kurt and Blaine. Both nod stiffly as Logan and the other two Warblers race off.

"Come on Mr Schue, just tell us," Finn groans.

Kurt hears another voice cry out "Yes!" and he knows Isabella and her choir has apparently made the top ten.

But he doesn't look away and once more both of Kurt's hands are being gripped again. Blaine and Santana.

Mr Schuester turns around with a solemn look on his face. "Well," he says quietly, and Kurt winces at how Santana is apparently trying to crush his hand, "it looks like..." He pauses, then grins, "we're heading to the Showcase!"

For a few seconds, there's nothing but silence, but then Rachel shrieks, and Kurt suddenly finds himself in a middle of a mass hug and for once, he doesn't mind.