A/N: This is my take on the Rachel and Jesse pairing! Know that the episode 'Bad Reputation' did NOT happen (the one with the 'Run Joey Run' video). I felt really bad for Rachel in that episode and didn't want the St. Berry pairing to have a downfall (yet). So just ignore all that and skip to my version of the 'Laryngitis' episode. Hope you like it! Review and enjoy!

"I can't do this," Rachel sobbed to her dads as they held her.

"Yes you can," Hiram Berry encouraged his daughter as she cried out in pain from the doctor's doings. This was the second time now their daughter was getting her bone marrow tested to see if she had leukemia. She had fought it once as a small kid, her body doing the most of her work for her, but now it returned.

Hiram grabbed a hold of LeRoy's outstretched hand, holding onto it for strength while they listened to their daughter scream out in pain and agony once more.

"The worst is over now Rachel," the doctor said with a sterile white mask covering his face. He was watching her marrow drop into a tube, patiently waiting on filling the vile.

"Daddies," she whimpered in pain. She didn't want to do this again.

"We know honey," LeRoy said with sad voice.

She landed in this spot – screaming in pain with her arms locked in her dads' – all from a case of laryngitis. She had walked into Glee Club fully intent on speaking her mind about how some of them (cough cough, her and Jesse) were picking up more work than others. She went to stick it to them singing 'The Climb', when her voice gave out and all went wrong.

She couldn't understand it at first. She thought that everything just been because of stress. Her sleeping patterns were off due to now having to juggle having a boyfriend, Glee Club, Regionals, and schoolwork. She never thought much of it until she felt herself getting sick.

Her dads were the one to haul her into the doctors after that. She couldn't keep up the charade long enough with them unfortunately. They had made her skip glee club rehearsals and taken her to get checked out instead.

The three of them stuffed in the tiny room weren't ready to hear what their family physician had say. Telling them that her blood count was off and her vocals could be like this due to the reoccurrence of leukemia, they inhaled a sharp breath. Things just stopped for her right then. Rachel Berry could not have cancer again.

As a young kid she could cope because she didn't know what the real world was like yet. She had no idea what it was like to feel attached to people other than her dads, and she certainly was not used to having challenging competition like with Vocal Adrenaline to go up against. Her hopes and dreams were still being created. And now that the time was here to fulfill them and make them come true, she was slowly losing them. Glee Club was so close to Regionals she could feel it! Broadway was calling for her right after that. She couldn't back down from it now!

Her doctor told her it was best to give another sample of blood and get her bone marrow analyzed for anything unusual. So that's what she did, and that is how she ended up here – all because a stupid case of laryngitis.

"Its all over now honey," LeRoy soothed his daughter as she sniffled. The doctor had gotten what he needed and went to pull out everything from her spine. She felt some pain as he maneuvered around but it wasn't like anything before. The annoying pressured sensation was something she could deal with. Jumping slightly at the poke, her fathers held her tighter until the doctor rolled away, the wheels of his chair running against the lament floor making a funny sound.

"Alright, we should have the results within the week. Nurse Carey can help you out here and explain everything you will need to go home." With that, the doctor shook the mens' hands and left with his samples.

"So Mr. and Mr. Berry," Carey the nurse addressed them while Rachel was given her clothes back. She struggled with her top, letting out a wince when she went to slide the shirt down from over her head.

"Here honey, I got it," Hiram said, helping her while his partner listened to the nurse talk. When it was all over with, they helped Rachel stand, noticing she was in a bit of pain.

"Nurse! Can we get a wheelchair over here please?!" LeRoy called.

"No, I'm okay," Rachel said trying to fight the pain shooting through her body.

"Honey, you need to take it easy and rest. You shouldn't push yourself yet," Hiram stated.

"But-"

"Ah, thank you," LeRoy said as a nurse came in with a chair. Sighing, Rachel gave in and took a few slow steps to situate herself in the chair. Biting her lip at the pain, she gave her dads the nod when she got comfy and they rolled her out of the hospital.

I'm not missing Glee Club today; Rachel thought when she first woke up. Noticing it was a little past noon, she cursed in her head, knowing it was her dads who turned off her alarm. Getting up in pain, she slowly moved up from her bed and walked into her bathroom. She did her usual routines at a slow pace and difficulty, but within the next hour and a half, she was ready to go back to McKinley High.

"And what do you think you're doing?" LeRoy Berry asked his daughter who was dressed for school, coming down the stairs. He could see the wince on her face as she came went down each step.

"I'm going to Glee Club today," she replied in a strong voice.

"Oh no you aren't," Hiram said, answering before LeRoy could, as they all gathered in the foyer.

"I'm not missing Glee! I've already missed yesterday. People will start to worry; they'll start to ask questions!" she exclaimed, not wanting that. It was a good thing Jesse had left for his spring break because she couldn't take him finding out what was going on now.

"Rachel, you just had a major procedure done. Although medical science says you're okay to resume your daily lifestyle, you clearly are not," Hiram protested, giving motioning gestures to the way she was walking down the stairs slow and in pain.

"I just need to take something! I'll be fine!" she pleaded. "I need this. I can't be here any longer."

"Rachel," LeRoy said in a warmer, kinder voice.

"No dad," she whined. "I want to go today. I have to. I'll try to take it easy as best as I can, but please. I have to go!"

Both Berry men looked at each other, silently debating it between them.

"Fine," Hiram sighed. "But only for Glee club. We will have to talk to your teachers and principal tomorrow about your situation."

Rachel was relieved at first after hearing her parents say she was allowed to go to Glee but then the smile quickly vanished from her face. "What?"

"We need to discuss your health matters with your teachers Rachel. They, along with your principal should know what's going on."

"No," she protested. Her body was going tense and she felt distraught. She didn't want anyone to know about this. She didn't want to show weakness or any sign of being more unusual than she already was.

"Honey," Hiram sighed pinching the bridge of his nose in stress.

"What your father is trying to explain to you is," LeRoy said stepping in, "this time looks to be much more serious. It's best that we let others know what is going on so they can make accommodations."

Rachel went to open her mouth in protest but her dad continued. "And I know you hate it. You've beaten the disease before, yes sweetie we know, but now that you're in high school you need to be taken out of class with a reason. It wasn't like when you were a little toddler and we could just pluck you out of school. Your teachers need to be informed of this decision."

"B-B-but…" she tried to argue. There was no use. Her parents were right. If she really did relapse then it would mean more treatments and hospital visits. It would take time out of her class schedule or even glee club…

"No!" she gasped. "I can't be taken away from glee!"

"Rachel," LeRoy sighed now too.

"Please, no daddies," she pleaded with the two of them. She walked off the last step of the staircase, holding onto the banister for balance. "You can't do this to me. Please. Glee Club is my life. Its what I've been working so hard on. You can't take this away from me now. Please!"

"We aren't sweetie, it's just…"

"I can't let them know!" she said in building hysterics now. "They can't know. I don't want their pitiful looks or sympathies. I'm Rachel Berry! I'm strong! I-I'm their co-captain! If they know about this then things will change. They won't look at me the same. They'll give me all the solos I want and go along with every song I practically choose. I-I-I can't!"

Both fathers disagreed with Rachel's choice and line of thinking, but the way she was getting upset about it, they concluded it was all her own. She would come around when she was less flabbergasted by the news, and right now, they needed to be there for her and not create friction.

"Alright, we'll work around this then," Hiram said with a thoughtful look.

"We will?" LeRoy asked his partner.

Raising an eyebrow, Hiram questioned his spouse. Won't we? The way Rachel was looking at the two of them, he couldn't bear to crush her any more than she had already been. The look on his daughter's face was truly heartbreaking for him. He surely couldn't disobey any of her wishes and dreams, especially when they always encouraged them.

"Okay," LeRoy agreed taking a good look at Rachel after Hiram's expression. They would scheme.

"Thank you," Rachel sniffled and hugged them both. Ignoring the pain that went up her back when she stretched her arms out, she held them tightly and then smiled brightly.

Glee Club was like any other day for the most part. Not many were curious about if she was okay nor asked if she had went to the doctor. Most of them just commented about how painful the experience was to listen to her that day and wished she wouldn't sing until she knew she could sound better.

"It was one song!" she finally shouted when Santana made some other low remark about her performance when her vocal chords were messed up. She had interrupted Mr. Shuester from talking about their next possible assignment. "I messed up on one song. How many have you ever messed up on Santana? How many have you all messed up on?" she asked the club. She couldn't take their criticism any longer. She had enough on her plate as it was. She apologized to them all, already completely embarrassed, and wanted to sing a better song when she had the time to pick one out. But it still wasn't enough.

"Well geez Berry, no one could quite butcher a song like you did," Santana snapped with an attitude while her arms stayed crossed.

Suffocating feelings of helplessness washed over Rachel. She stood before the entire glee club in out cry of unfairness and no one had anything to say. And so there was none. There was no point to giving a comeback or saying anything else to Santana. There was not even a reason to sit back down and listen to Mr. Shuester talk anymore. So she ran off. She ignored the pain in her body as best as she could, and walked out. She had wasted enough energy on the club after yesterdays ordeal and giving a lecture the to the group just wasn't in the cards.

Hiding in the empty dance studio, Rachel let a few tears fall. Boy she wished Jesse was here.

Jesse had gone to San Diego with his friends from Vocal Adrenaline. At first, he was unsure, but after a long talk between the two of them, they decided it would be a missed opportunity if he didn't. He had been talking about UCLA and it would be great if he could go experience the West Coast. As much as she wanted him with her, she knew she couldn't be selfish. And it worked out for the better anyways. With her diagnosis, Jesse would be able to see something was up and demand answers she wasn't willing to give.

Going towards the center of the room, Rachel took her time, gently making her way to the floor to lie down and stare at the ceiling. How could the Glee Club be so unfair? How could Mr. Shuester stand by and to hear those comments and not say anything? She wanted to yell at her teacher – yell at him in the face and ask if he saw what their comments were doing to her. They felt like they were taking parts of her – parts she didn't know she had devoted to the club. Every day for hours on end she slaved away for them. She worked on choreography moves in her head and planned out playlists to help them with their competitions. She spent time looking for the right costume and trying to improve her range so that maybe if she hit another super high note it would give them a better edge against the competition at Regionals.

Why couldn't they see any of this?

She sulked there for a while later until she felt better. She was too tired to dance or to sing, but to be in the surrounding worked close enough. It took her a while to get up from her spot. At one point, Rachel wasn't even sure if she was going to make it up. But she did. She fought and she struggled. She made it though and that's all that mattered.

A nightmare too scary to even have, had come true in Rachel Berry's life. The next day when her and her dads walked in to the principal's office to discuss her situation – as promised to them before – she almost had an aneurysm. Principal Figgins was nowhere to be found; instead it was Sue Sylvester who was sitting in his chair waiting to greet them.

"No," Rachel gave a small dramatic gasp.

"Ms. Berry," Sue nodded acting all civil in front of her parents. Rachel knew those mischievous eyes. They held a twinkle of dislike and desire to destroy the glee club. "Mr. and Mr. Berry," she then acknowledged, holding her hand out for them to shake.

"Now what can I do for you?" Sue asked sitting in the head chair.

"Our Rachel here has special circumstances in which she will need to be pulled out of class every so often. We didn't want to raise concern so we thought we would tell you ourselves. If Rachel is going to be missing any of her classes, it is because we are pulling her out," LeRoy explained.

"And why is that?" Sue asked looking to both men. "Because the way I see it, children need an education – a full education. I don't care if you want to spend time with your daughter just for kicks, she should be in here learning. Forget the tutus and dress up for where glee is concerned. You two men ought to be ashamed of yourselves for pulling her out just because you have the power."

The Berry clan was stunned. Every comment, although not made in the way they interpreted it was wrong. I don't care if you want to spend time with your daughter? But Sue Sylvester didn't know she was dying.

"Coach Sylvester…-"

"It's Principal Sylvester Ms. Berry-" Sue said with a force to her last name.

"Right, Principal Sylvester," Rachel corrected.

"We aren't pulling her out for fun," Hiram interrupted. He knew his daughter was going to explain her condition to make the woman understand, but he was hoping it wouldn't come with that. He promised himself inside and out he would try to please his daughter's wishes as best as possible and one of them was to keep her secret a secret. "Please take that into consideration."

"Oh and what do you plan on doing then? Because from what I know, both of you are never around much. Do you know teens who are alone at home after schools without parental supervision are ones who are most likely engaged in high risk activities and behavior. Sex, drugs, gambling-…"

"Enough," Rachel said breaking the Coach's spiel. "My dads aren't pulling me out of school for fun, and they are doing their best they can as working parents. I have cancer Principal Sylvester. I relapsed with leukemia and I need to miss certain hours of school so I can go to chemotherapy. I'm not some high risk behavior teen nor am I some statistic."

For once, Sue Sylvester was stunned.

"I'm dying and that is why I need to miss my classes," Rachel repeated. Her fathers held both her hands.

"No, you have a great chance of winning this battle again. You need to believe in that," Leroy scolded.

"I agree with your father," Hiram stated in a more positive tone.

"I am very sorry," Sue said.

The words that hit Rachel's ears couldn't be right. They couldn't have just poured out of the mouth of the one and only enemy of the glee club Sue Sylvester.

"I apologize for everything I just said. I can be harsh. Mr. and Mr. Berry…"

"Its all right," LeRoy said. "We are all under a lot of stress right now. I'm sure you have a lot on your place as temporary principal too."

They sat in silence for a few seconds. Rachel watched as Sue took in the news some more, and she squeezed her dad's hands in her lap, soaking up their company.

The doctor had called them early this morning, telling her the tests were true. She did, in fact have leukemia again and needed to start treatments right away. Over the phone they talked about the dosage, side effects and silly things she already knew from before, and planned the date to start the first treatment tomorrow.

"I'm going to be on a low dose," Rachel told Sue slowly. The woman's eyes met her own in a blank sorrowed look. "It lowers the chances that I lose all my hair and isn't so powerful that I become completely drained. I'll obviously be more tired than usual, and most likely less focused, but after those first few weeks but it should get better. My body will adjust and I'll try not to miss more school than I have to."

"Don't worry about that," Sue said dismissively. She was starting to recuperate from the shock from what Rachel could tell. "I'll tell your teachers and get them all on board. Your absences won't be an issue."

"She starts chemo tomorrow," LeRoy added when silence settled in the office again.

Sue didn't reply with anything, rather she stared at the teenage girl who had to go through all of this while talking to her parents. "Is there anything else we need to discuss?"

"No, I believe that is all," Hiram said in a relieved tone of voice. Things went better than he had expected. He thought every teacher was going to have to be brought in and reasoned with.

"Fantastic," Sue said standing up from her chair. The three of them all stood, both men extending their hand in thanks for her.

"Rachel, if you could hang around for a minute," Sue said when they all went to file out her office door. Nodding, Rachel hugged her dads goodbye and then went to go sit back down in her seat in front her.

"How are you holding up?" Sue wondered.

"As well as can be expected I guess," Rachel shrugged, studying the fine cherry wood of the desk. She didn't want to think much more about this. She just wanted to turn herself on autopilot, kind of like she did when she went to class. She liked to think that now this was all about acting. She would be able to put her skills to the test to act like the same old Rachel Berry she was before. "I've had this when I was younger too. I fought it for about two years. I'm sure I can manage again."

"Two years is a long time," Sue commented with a gentle voice Rachel wasn't used to hearing.

Her façade cracked a bit and Sue saw it. "The leukemia is a lot stronger than last time. I'm not sure I can-…No, no I can beat it," she said changing her mind. Her voice had such conviction, but it seemed forced like she was trying to believe what she was saying herself.

"Is there anything else you need Rachel?"

She thought about it for a second, wondering what she would need covered for a time like this. An extension on her homework? An option to re-try if she fails a test? A pass to leave class early so she didn't have to move through the busy hallways with everyone else?

"Secrecy," she stated simply. Finally then was the time that she looked up to Coach/Principal's Sylvester's eyes again. "I need you to keep this a secret. Nobody can know and no one can find out. I can't have people knowing and feeling bad for me. Everything stays the same."

This surprised Sue. It surprised at how strong this Berry girl was trying to be and was dedicated on succeeding.

"Especially with Mr. Shue," Rachel said cutting the other woman's thoughts. "He can't know about this. He can't know that I'm sick or I've been missing classes to go to chemotherapy. If anyone from the glee club finds out then everything is ruined."

"Aren't you being a tad bit dramatic there Berry?" Sue asked with some of that spite Rachel was familiar with. She enjoyed the normalcy of it but could also tell that it was gentler, more joking.

"You're even doing it," she said to her to try and prove a point. "Lets face it Coach–… I mean Principal Sylvester, by now you would have been saying some nasty comment about the glee club or my looks, or even my name. You would have made some rude joke about my attitude and personality expressing how I'm some overachiever or teachers pet. But you aren't. You know now and I don't want things to change around me. I'm still the same Rachel Berry just…just a little different now too."

Sue sighed and took a few seconds to pause. She had leaned back against the chair, thinking over everything this Berry girl had said. Leaning forward, she set her forearms on her desk and interlaced her fingers. "When you walk out of that office, things will go back to exactly the way they were. You will get that same Sue Sylvester fire everyone else gets in this crap hole of a school," she told her. "But when you come into my office, you will get this Sue. Not the sympathetic-pity-Rachel Berry-Sue, but the Sue that does care for the students at this school on some level. Got it?"

"Got it," Rachel said softly smiling. With a nod of agreement, Rachel got up from her chair.

"As soon as you walk out," Sue reminded her.

And so Rachel Berry walked, more happier than a clam.