A/N: So, here's my latest Faberry story! Unlike my other stories, this will be a 2-3 part story. I got the inspiration for this story when I was listening to Glee's version of NeYo's "Let Me Love You". So, yeah. Oh, and for the purposes of this story, Finn and Rachel never got back together, and thus, Quinn's accident never happened. I hope you guys like this story, and reviews would be appreciated!
Also, I'll try finishing up the next part, and hopefully I'll have it uploaded by tomorrow. I'll try finishing this within next week, if possible. Enjoy!
DISCLAIMER: I do not own Glee. If I did, Faberry would definitely exist as canon. :(
Rachel Berry took a deep breath as she looked at her reflection in the mirror. She was Rachel Barbra Berry, and she would blow away her audition and leave Carmen Tibideaux breathless after her performance. She was born to be on Broadway, and getting into NYADA was just her first step.
In short, she was born to be a star.
"It looks like someone's ready and rearing to go."
A husky voice brought Rachel out of her thoughts, and she shifted her body so that she could see the instigator. A smile spread across her lips as she saw Quinn Fabray, standing by the door. They were actually good friends now, and were open to each other about everything. Whenever Rachel needed someone, Quinn was there with her arms wide open.
"I'm just feeling confident. I've been singing 'Don't Rain On My Parade' since I was little, so I'm sure that I will leave Carmen Tibideaux in awe," Rachel said, flashing her megawatt smile.
"Oh, I'm sure you'll blow her away," Quinn said in agreement as she sauntered towards the brunette. "Bring the house down, Rach."
"Thank you, Quinn," Rachel answered smilingly.
Quinn nodded and smiled.
"Go and get her, Rachel Berry."
Rachel grinned and nodded, then left for the stage. The only thing running inside her mind back then was that she would not disappoint Quinn.
Quinn smiled to herself as she settled down on the seat beside Kurt. She was sure that Rachel would bring on her best performance, and get into NYADA. And, she was glad that she could watch the special moment of the brunette. She was one step closer to fulfilling her dreams, and Quinn would be sure to be there for the brunette every step of the way.
"Rachel Berry," Carmen called out, and Quinn watched silently as Rachel walked towards the center of the stage.
Quinn sucked in a deep breath as Rachel stood on the stage. The diva still looked as beautiful and gorgeous as ever, emanating confidence as she stood upright. She truly did belong on stage, born to perform and become a star, just like Quinn knew she always wanted to be.
"Hello, I am Rachel Berry, and I will be singing Don't Rain On My Parade." Rachel introduced herself, beaming widely. She then turned to the band behind her, and nodded her head once.
The beat of the song began to play, and Rachel sang along.
"Don't tell me not to live, just sit and putter. Life's candy, and the sun's a ball of butter. Don't bring around a cloud to rain on my parade!"
Quinn smiled and tapped her feet to the beat of the song as Rachel's voice filled the auditorium. It was just the first few lines, but Quinn could already feel that the brunette had already gotten it.
"Don't tell me not to fly, I've simply got to. If someone takes a spill, it's me and not y-"
Rachel suddenly stopped, and her hands flew to her mouth. Quinn felt all the color drain from her face as she watched.
"Oh my God," she heard Kurt whisper in shock.
No, this can't be happening, Quinn thought, trying hard to keep her cool.
"I'm sorry. I'm so, so, sorry. If I could just try again one more time," Rachel said hurriedly, and whirled around to face the band. The band members nodded, and began playing again.
"Don't tell me not to live, just sit and putter. Life's candy, and the sun-"
Rachel stopped again, and Quinn felt her heart hammer loudly against her chest. She felt like her whole world was falling apart, and her chest clenched tightly. Her hands gripped the armrests of the chair tightly, her breathing beginning to become unstable.
No! No! This wasn't supposed to happen to her! Oh my God, no! Quinn screamed in her mind over and over frantically.
"I'm so sorry, I know this song backwards," Rachel explained desperately. She then took a deep breath, and Quinn watched on apprehensively. "Okay, If you could just let me start one more time."
"No." Carmen spoke up firmly. Quinn's breath hitched, her heart already beginning to break for the diva on stage.
"Excuse me?" Rachel said in a shaky voice as she stepped forward.
"You get eight bars, and I gave you sixteen," Carmen interrupted before the diva could speak further. "Do you know what happens when you forget the words on Broadway? They give the job to your understudy."
"No," Quinn whispered to herself in disbelief. Rachel had a broken and desperate look on her face, making the blonde's heart break even further.
"I'm sorry, but this audition is over," Carmen stated flatly as she gathered her papers.
"No, please, please, just please give me one more chance," Rachel begged desperately, her words unheard as Carmen stood up and walked away. "Please, please..."
Quinn shook her head quickly, trying to wrap her head around what just happened. Rachel had just choked, twice, and her dreams were already beginning to spiral down. She began praying that it was all just a dream, a cruel nightmare, but the brunette's strangled sobs told her otherwise.
She jumped up to her feet and quickly followed Carmen out of the auditorium.
"Wait!" she shouted desperately, and Carmen stopped walking, turning to face her.
"Yes?" Carmen asked, a little impatiently.
"Just, just please, give Rachel another chance!" Quinn begged, her eyes welling up in tears. She wasn't the type to beg, but Rachel's dreams were on the line. Rachel didn't belong here, of that she was sure of. That was why she took every step necessary so that the brunette could fulfill her dreams.
"I'm sorry, but I can't. She forgot the words, and that is not something to be taken lightly," Carmen answered stiffly.
"Rachel doesn't belong here! She belongs in New York, to be a star. If anyone deserves to get out of here, it's her!" Quinn begged, clasping her hands together in a desperate manner. "She's the best of the best!"
Carmen sighed and shook her head. "I'm sorry, but the decision is final. Now, if you're done, I have other matters to attend to."
Quinn sank to her knees as Carmen walked away, feeling the world crumble down along with Rachel's ambitions. She couldn't believe that this was happening. Rachel was supposed to get out of here, which was why Quinn did everything to make sure that nothing got in the brunette's way.
And now, there was just nothing. Quinn wiped away her tears and stood up. She needed to be strong, not just for her, but for Rachel. She quickly ran back to the auditorium, and found Rachel kneeling on the floor, body racking up, loud sobs escaping her lips.
It was the most heartbreaking sight for Quinn. Seeing the brunette she loved so much for so long crying so hard could only do so much to break her own heart in pieces. She walked towards the stage, and knelt behind the brunette, wrapping her arms around the girl crying so loudly in front of her.
"Please, leave me alone, Quinn," Rachel said in between strangled sobs.
Just when Quinn thought that her heart couldn't break into any more pieces, it just did. She knew that Rachel meant no harm in her words; that she just needed her space. Deep inside, she really didn't want to leave, but she also knew that the best thing to do was to leave the brunette to herself. She knew that while Rachel Berry might appear strong to others, there was still a vulnerable side to her.
"Okay..." Quinn said, her voice cracking slightly. "Just... call or text me if you need me, alright?"
Rachel gave a short nod, the sobbing still not subsiding. Quinn squeezed her arms around the brunette one more time before releasing her, and stood up. The brunette would call her when she was ready, and so Quinn would decide to wait until that time.
Quinn slowly walked away from the stage, and left the auditorium. She felt broken for the brunette, but she knew that the pain she felt would never compare to the diva's. After all, it was Rachel that went through that, and not her. But still, the love she felt for the diva intensified her feelings of pain.
She wished that she could just make Rachel feel better, but she knew that wasn't possible right now. Patience had never really been one of her strong suits, but when it came down to Rachel, she could wait; forever, if she had to.
She exited the school, and made her way towards her car. She opened the driver's door, and absentmindedly slipped inside. She brought the engine to life, and began driving home.
Rachel had never felt so broken about anything in her life before; up until now, that is. She choked on her NYADA audition, and not just once, but twice. She felt that things were spiraling out of control, that there was nothing left for her. Her dreams had been shattered in that one crucial moment, and what made it worse was that she choked on the very song that she knew for nearly her entire life.
She couldn't believe that it was all over. She felt so disappointed in herself, and it was just so painful. The whole experience was agonizing; watching all that she built to get so far, only to have all of them tumble down just because she forgot the lyrics of a song.
She sobbed louder, unable to contain the feelings of anguish inside of her. Now, without NYADA, her dreams were over. She disappointed everyone; Mr. Schue, Kurt, Carmen, her dads, and most especially, Quinn.
Quinn, who finally became her best friend, supporting her in everything that she did. Quinn, the beautiful, amazing blonde who always encouraged her to chase after her dreams. The one person apart from her dads that was with her through it all.
She felt ashamed of herself; how could she let everyone she cared about down with a mistake like that? She had been performing for so long, that she was already a natural at the stage. So, why? Why did it have to happen now, of all times? Just when she was already taking a big step towards getting to New York, and into a Broadway stage.
And now, there was nothing. In the blink of an eye, it was all gone. She has been, and always will be, just plain old Rachel Barbra Berry.
She slowly stood up from the stage, and walked off in a trance. She had pushed Quinn away, but she knew that the blonde understood. They were best friends, yes, but they both understood when one of them needed the space to be alone for a while.
And Rachel was glad that Quinn understood her.
Her sobbing slowly subsided, and she ran away from the auditorium, and left the school. She got into her car, and began driving back to her house. She fervently hoped that her dads weren't home yet by the time she arrived, not wanting to see the look of disappointment on their faces once she explained what happened.
Unfortunately, her prayers were not answered, because when she entered her home, her dads were sitting on the couch, waiting for her. Her lips quivered violently, and before her dads could ask her what was wrong, she ran to her room and slammed the door shut.
She threw herself on the bed, and ultimately began sobbing again. Her body racked up violently, as an endless stream of tears fell down her face. She didn't know if she would be able to stop crying at all; it was all just too painful for her.
And so, she cried and cried, unable to sleep for the whole night.
Quinn sighed tiredly as she walked through the halls of McKinley. She'd barely been able to sleep because she was too worried about Rachel. She'd sent a text, but had gotten no reply. Either the brunette's phone was turned off, or was crying the whole night that Quinn's text had not been responded to.
The image of a crying Rachel made Quinn's heart clench in pain all over again. When she made it up to the brunette, she swore that she would do anything to not see those tears again. Especially since she was the cause of them a few times before.
She swept her gaze across the halls, searching for Rachel. She found the brunette in front of her locker, grabbing books. Her hair was slightly disheveled, and looked like she hadn't eaten, making Quinn furrow her eyebrows in worry.
She strode over to the brunette, and placed a hand over her right shoulder.
"Rach..." Quinn said softly, and the brunette turned around to face her.
"Quinn..." Rachel croaked out.
The sight of the state of Rachel made Quinn's chest clench tightly. The brunette's eyes were bloodshot, eyelids red and puffy. There was an exhausted look in her eyes, confirming that she hadn't gotten any sleep at all. It broke Quinn's heart.
"Have you eaten?" Quinn asked worriedly.
"Yeah, I have," Rachel responded, her gaze cast downwards.
Quinn shook her head. This wouldn't do, not at all. She knew when Rachel was lying, after watching all her facial expressions throughout high school. She zipped her bag open, and took out an apple.
"Here," she said, offering the apple to the brunette.
Rachel opened her mouth to protest, but Quinn stopped her by pressing a finger to her lips. She pleaded silently, and the brunette sighed and took the apple, taking a small bite.
"Walk me to class?" Rachel whispered, her chocolate brown eyes wavering slightly.
"Yeah, of course," Quinn answered softly.
Rachel nodded once, and clutched her books to her chest. Quinn walked the brunette to her classroom, giving her shoulders a gentle squeeze as they arrived.
"I'll see you at lunch, okay?" Quinn said. Rachel nodded in confirmation, and Quinn squeezed her hands before walking to her own class.
Quinn jumped out of her seat as soon as the bell rang and the teacher dismissed them. She placed her books in her bag, and slung it over her shoulder. She walked out the classroom, and headed to Rachel's classroom.
She found the brunette standing outside the door, fumbling around with the strap of her shoulder bag. Quinn would have found the gesture to be adorable and endearing had it been any other circumstance, but right now, it just made her heart ache.
She walked towards the brunette, and gently tapped her shoulder to announce her presence. The brunette looked up and gave a tentative smile, before falling quickly into a somber expression. Quinn bit her lip, resisting the urge to take the brunette's hand, or, God forbid, kiss her.
"Let's go," Quinn murmured softly, walking side by side with the brunette to the cafeteria. Rachel and Quinn decided to sit together, and the brunette waited as Quinn got their food.
Quinn set a tray filled with vegan-friendly food in front of Rachel, before taking out her own lunch from her bag. A small smile graced her lips as Rachel tentatively took a few bites, and soon began to eat properly. Quinn ate her own food, watching Rachel eat from the corner of her eye.
They finished eating, and Rachel gave Quinn a small and grateful smile. Quinn smiled back, though she knew that the brunette's smile still wasn't genuine. Her eyes didn't twinkle like they always did when she smiled, and there was still that tired expression on her face. Quinn would know; she always watched the way that Rachel smiled.
And Quinn died inside whenever Rachel didn't.
Quinn was grateful that she had all her afternoon classes with Rachel. That way, she could worry less about the brunette.
After finishing their lunch, Quinn and Rachel walked to their lockers in silence. They took the books that they needed for the rest of the afternoon, and walked to their classroom as soon as the bell rang.
Quinn spent the rest of the afternoon sneaking glances at Rachel. The brunette seemed to still pay attention, albeit a little distracted. The hours passed by, until it was finally time to go home.
Quinn stood up, and Rachel gripped her wrist. She whirled around, looking worriedly at the brunette.
"Is something wrong, Rachel?" Quinn asked in concern.
"Can you sleep at my house tonight?" Rachel whispered. "I need you, Quinn..."
Quinn's heart broke at the vulnerability of Rachel. It had already been a day, but the brunette was still completely down. Not that Quinn blamed her, of course. Rachel had every right to be sad, but Quinn's heart could only take so much more.
Rachel needed to feel that she was loved, and that she needed to love herself again.
"Of course, Rach. I'll just drop by my house to get some clothes, okay?" Quinn said softly.
Rachel nodded, still unsmiling. Quinn frowned as the brunette walked away. She needed the brunette to know that she was there to love her. She could only pray that the brunette felt the same for her.
Quinn drove to her house, and unlocked the door with her key. She found her mom sitting in the living room, watching television.
"Oh, hello, dear," Judy greeted with a smile as she stood up from the couch. "How was your day?"
"Not so well," Quinn sighed sadly. "Rachel's still... down."
"Oh, Quinnie," Judy said sadly.
"I just hate seeing her that way, mom. It wasn't supposed to turn out that way," Quinn said dejectedly. "I just... I love her so much..."
Judy smiled sadly as she hugged her daughter. Quinn hugged back, grateful that she finally had a working relationship with her mother. At first, she was afraid of coming out to Judy about her feelings for Rachel, afraid that she might get kicked out again.
But she didn't. Judy just smiled softly, saying that she'd known for quite some time now. Quinn was, of course, shocked beyond words. It turned out that Judy noticed the way Quinn's expression softened whenever she talked about the brunette, or the way she was so hell-bent on fixing her mistakes.
Judy had been understanding through it all, and Quinn was happy for that.
"Well, the best thing you could do is to be there for her, sweetheart. And I'm sure that when words aren't enough, you can just sing to her," Judy said softly.
The idea struck Quinn like a lightning bolt. Of course, a song was perfect for Rachel. She was sure she could find something within her extensive collection of music in her iPod.
"Thanks, mom," Quinn smiled as she pulled apart. "I'll be sleeping over at Rachel's tonight, is that okay?"
"Of course, Quinn," Judy nodded.
"Thanks," Quinn said again, and climbed up the stairs, and went into her room. She took a duffel bag, and put a pair of blue pajamas, a white floral dress, a pair of white sandals, and toiletries inside. Once that was done, she closed her bedroom door behind her, and headed down the stairs.
Judy was sitting back on the couch, and Quinn waved goodbye before leaving.
She hopped into her car, and drove to the Berry residence. As she drove, she listened to the songs on her iPod that was docked to the speaker. An upbeat tune soon started playing, but with meaningful lyrics. Quinn smiled as she listened; it was the perfect song to sing to Rachel. All she needed was to strip down the song into an acoustic one, and slow it down.
She arrived at Rachel's house, and parked the car in front of the gates. She grabbed her duffel bag from the passenger seat before sliding out the car and locking it. She made her way up to the porch, and rang the doorbell.
After a few beats, the door swung open, revealing Hiram.
"Hello, Quinn." Hiram greeted with a smile. "Rachel's upstairs, waiting for you."
"Thank you, Hiram," Quinn smiled. "How is she?"
Hiram's expression turned into a sad and dejected one, making Quinn's heart drop.
"She's still crying..." Hiram said with a heartbroken expression. "Take care of her, okay? Dinner's already set up on the table. I'm going to pick Leroy up, but we probably won't be back until late."
"Okay," Quinn said softly, hugging Rachel's dad.
"Take care. Just call me if you girls need anything, alright?" Hiram said as he pulled apart.
"Okay. Thank you," Quinn smiled politely, and Hiram left.
Sighing, Quinn made her way up the stairs, and walked to the door with a gold star plastered to it. She knocked on the door, and heard a faint and strangled, 'Come in.' She twisted the doorknob, and swung the door open.
Rachel was lying down on the bed, her face buried in the pillow. Faint sobs reverberated throughout the room, making Quinn's heart break all over again.
She locked the door behind her and dropped her duffel bag on the floor before walking towards the bed and sitting down next to the brunette who was lying down on her stomach. She ran her hands through the soft, curly brown locks in a calming manner, and felt the brunette shift underneath her touch.
"Quinn..." Rachel croaked out, her voice hoarse.
"Shh, it's okay," Quinn said gently. "I'm here..."
Rachel nodded against the pillow, and Quinn rubbed soothing circles around her back. The brunette seemed to have calmed down slightly, though tears still streamed silently down her face.
"Are you hungry?" Quinn asked, still rubbing the brunette's back.
"A little..." Rachel admitted.
Quinn nodded. "Your dad left dinner on the table. Why don't we go eat, then you can sleep afterwards?"
"Okay..." Rachel nodded, and sat up.
Quinn slid off the bed, Rachel following her. They walked down the stairs, and into the dining room. Two sets of plates were already set on the table, with a large plate of vegan lasagna sitting in between. The two girls sat opposite each other, and Quinn let Rachel go ahead.
They ate in silence, and Quinn was glad that Rachel was eating properly. The last thing she needed right now was for the brunette to get sick, or faint due to hunger which would surely cause her to worry even more.
After eating, Rachel wrapped the remaining lasagna in foil, and placed it inside the fridge. Quinn, meanwhile, washed the dishes, and Rachel dried them off and placed them in the cupboard after the washing.
They trekked back up to Rachel's room, and Quinn asked for permission to get ready for bed. Rachel nodded, and Quinn went into the bathroom with her clothes and toothbrush in hand. She washed her face with cold water, and stripped down to her underwear. She then wore her pajamas, and brushed her teeth.
When she was done, she neatly folded her clothes and left the bathroom. Rachel was sitting on the bed, a blank expression on her face. Quinn exhaled softly, and placed her clothes inside her duffel bag.
Afterwards, she sat next to the brunette, who sighed tiredly. She immediately wrapped her arms around the brunette, holding her close.
"Ready to go to sleep?" Quinn murmured softly.
"Yes..." Rachel answered hoarsely.
Quinn nodded, resisting the urge to press a kiss to the side of Rachel's head. They lay down next to each other, and Quinn was surprised when Rachel snuggled closer to her.
"Quinn?" Rachel asked in a small voice.
"Yes, Rachel?"
"Can you hold me?"
Quinn nodded and gave a small smile. "Sure."
Quinn wrapped her arms around the brunette, feeling the brunette's arms wrap around her in return. She felt the brunette nuzzle her neck, and she inhaled deeply, taking in Rachel's strawberry scent.
"Good night, Rachel..." Quinn said softly.
"Good night, Quinn," Rachel whispered, before succumbing into a deep sleep.