Kurt sat in the front row of the chapel auditorium, a tense Jessica by his side. She had been watching him like a hawk for every spare moment of the day.

Josiah took the stage and picked up the microphone.

“Let's pray together, guys, and then we'll jump right into the show.” Josiah led the auditorium in a prayer for everyone to perform to the best of their ability, and to use their talents to honor God. He nodded to Amy, who stepped onto the stage. Josiah handed off the microphone to her.

“Welcome to my favorite part of Camp Reflection, ladies and gentlemen!” Amy chirped, with a toothy smile. “The Friday Night Talent Show! I know you guys have been working hard, and I have the set list here. When your group is called up, please check with the stage manager to make sure they have your spotlight needs and sheet music down, and get ready to go on as soon as the previous group exits. We'll have an intermission halfway through, with punch and cookies out front. First up is Jackie, with a song, followed by Sean and James with a skit. Let's give them a hand!”

Overly enthusiastic applause rang out through the excited audience, and the stage fell dark before Jackie stepped out into a single spotlight. Kurt briefly wondered if he could sneak away in the blackness to sit next to Blaine, but ultimately decided that it was futile with Jessica right there.

He sighed and settled in to amuse himself with his own inner monologue. What is it about these 'Christian Rock' songs? It's like the music is engineered to make you sound like you're about to burst into shining Jesus tears at any minute when you sing.

“Over the mountains and the sea,

Your river runs with love for me,

and I will open up my heart

and let the Healer set me free.”

Speaking of tears... Kurt thought, taken aback by the travesty unfolding on the stage. Apparently she's not any better at singing than she is at higher order thinking.

He clapped politely for Jackie, as well as for the skit that followed, featuring two pasty-faced boys woodenly depicting What Jesus Would Do if he were offered marijuana at a party.

* * * * *

Kurt stared blankly into space. Exactly how many campers were there at Camp Reflection? It felt like time itself had ground to a halt.

“I could sing of Your love forever,

I could sing of Your love forever,

I could sing of Your love forever,

I could sing of Your love forever.”

Forever, forever, forever, forever, forever, Kurt's mind screamed. I could suffer in here forever.

Suddenly, Kurt's ears perked up to the sounds of a conversation behind him, taking place between Amy and Adam. I'm sure it's a sin to eavesdrop, but it's better than listening to a third rendition of this cheesy song.

“I keep telling them, it would be much better if people had to commit to their song in advance. First person to sign up for 'I could sing of your love forever' gets it, end of discussion,” Amy said.

“You know that there just isn't time to put that much preparation into the show,” Adam replied. “Besides, there are worse songs...” He trailed off and applauded as the tall, Asian boy took a bow and left the stage. Ashley took the microphone and stood in the center of the stage.

“If God had a name, what would it be

And would you call it to his face

If you were faced with him in all his glory...”

“You were saying?” Amy groaned.

“It could still be worse,” Adam mused. “Remember two years ago, we had three different versions of this song. And one of them was nu-metal style.”

The two clapped politely, and Kurt joined in, amused by a glimpse of real personality behind the shiny, perfect facades the two counselors normally exhibited. Ashley finished her song, and an older girl took the stage. The spotlight followed her to a piano in the corner.

As she sat down and played the opening chords of “Angel”, Amy and Adam groaned in unison. “Anything but the dead puppy song!” they cried.

After enduring the performance, clapping over the sound of crying that echoed from several places in the audience, Kurt was pleased to see Cate take the stage, a guitar strapped across her chest. She had insisted that singing wasn't for her, but she must have changed her mind. An uncomfortable murmur spread through the audience as she began to play, but Kurt's smile overtook his face and he sat up straight in his seat. He clapped and cheered as she started to sing.

“Imagine there's no heaven

It's easy if you try

No hell below us

Above us only sky”

After the song ended, Josiah stood up in the corner of the room with the other microphone. “Thank you, Cate. Next up are the Holy Beatz, and after that is Team Klaine, followed by intermission. I bet you're excited about having cookies and punch, I know I am!”

Kurt peered at Jessica, who was slumped in her seat and starting to snore, despite the enthusiastic Christian rap performance currently taking place. He stood up and walked to the edge of the stage in the dark, ducking behind the curtain.

Immediately on the other side, he bumped into someone's chest. He looked into eyes that shone golden still, even in the near-darkness. He threw his arms around Blaine's neck and kissed him desperately, as if they had been parted for years. Blaine was confused for a moment, then cuddled Kurt into his chest, arms around Kurt's waist. He parted his lips and deepened the kiss, gasping against Kurt's mouth like he was finally breathing clear air after a dangerously long time underwater. He didn't want to move, didn't want to stop if it meant that someone might separate them again.

“Thank you, the Holy Beatz! Team Klaine, hurry up, you're on!” Josiah announced from the front row.

The boys untangled their arms and rushed towards the stage, Kurt smoothing his hair and Blaine straightening his bow tie. Neither boy noticed the figure stepping into their path until it was too late.

“Like I'd let you two sing together. I don't even wanna know what you had planned,” Jessica said, blocking their access to the stage.

Kurt balled up his fists, then splayed out his fingers, trying to contain his anger. “You're ridiculous, did you know that? First we're told we have to perform at the talent show, now you're going to ban us from singing together because we're both boys?” Kurt laughed mirthlessly in her face.

“No, I'm going to keep you from singing together because you're both little faggots, and it's gross,” Jessica sneered.

Blaine placed his hand on Kurt's bicep in an effort to reign him in, but Kurt shrugged off the touch. “You're such a hypocrite, did you know that?” he snapped. “You wear your religion like a badge of pride, but it's supposed to be one of love, not of hate! What exactly is so twisted and broken inside of you, that all you focus on is judging other people part?”

Jessica blinked in bovine fashion, ignoring the cutting words. “Of course I judge you, you two are disgusting.”

“Well, you're entitled to your opinion. It's wrong, but you're entitled to it. And guess what? I'm not going to hide, and I'm not going to go away. I'm done trying to get along with people like you, when you're just not fucking worth it! And now I'm going to go out there and sing a song with Blaine, and after that we're going to leave this miserable camp and live out the rest of our happy lives as out and proud homosexuals, and you can just deal with it!”

Kurt's chest was heaving and tears were starting to form in his eyes from the sheer emotion of the words. Jessica blocked their path still, if anything looking more stubborn and hateful than before Kurt's tirade.

“Last call for Team Klaine, come on guys, get up here!” came Josiah's voice from the stage.

Blaine turned to Kurt and wrapped his arms around his neck, pulling himself up and against the taller boy. He kissed him hard, his tongue diving between Kurt's teeth immediately. Kurt pulled Blaine close, and was rewarded with a subtle grind of Blaine's crotch against his thigh.

The sudden rush of affection was almost enough to make Kurt forget that they had an ironic and slightly ridiculous song to sing. Jessica made a disgusted noise and sprung back reflexively from the boys. As soon as she was out of their way, Blaine pulled himself out of Kurt's grasp and dragged him towards the stage. “And Kurt's not little!” he called back to her, as they pushed past the curtains.

Blaine jumped down to take the second microphone from Josiah, while Kurt grabbed the first microphone from its stand in the center of the stage. The music started up immediately and they began to sing.

“Try not to get worried, try not to turn on to

Problems that upset you, oh.

Don't you know

Everything's alright, yes, everything's fine.”

Kurt sang the part of Mary Magdalene in a clear, strong voice. He decided that Blaine had been right about the song, and the range of reactions was interesting. Most of the campers looked impressed, and Amy and Adam looked delighted. Probably ecstatic to hear something different, Kurt mused. Even better, a substantial portion of the audience looked upset. It was somewhat subversive, for a boy to sing the part of a female prostitute.

Blaine joined in with the soft, backing part of the Apostles' Wives, then stepped to Kurt's left and began the part of Judas. When that verse was done, he stepped through the darkness to Kurt's right as Kurt sang the next Mary Magdalene section, then Blaine began the part of Jesus.

“Surely you're not saying we have the resources

To save the poor from their lot?

There will be poor always, pathetically struggling.

Look at the good things you've got.

Think while you still have me!

Move while you still see me!

You'll be lost, and you'll be sorry when I'm gone.”

He absolutely killed that last note, Kurt thought, beaming at his duet partner. Kurt spotted Cate in the Butterfly section, grinning at the two boys and cheering. Kurt and Blaine finished the song, going back and forth with their alternating parts.

“Close your eyes, close your eyes, and relax

Think of nothing tonight.”

“Everything's alright, yes, everything's alright, yes.”

The boys joined hands and took a bow as the spotlights extinguished. Blaine snatched Kurt's microphone away, and set them both down. He took Kurt's hand again and they darted out the back door.