Summary: Jesse St. James and Rachel Berry meet at a talent competition just after his thirteenth birthday. He is inpressed by the young girl and they form a close friendship, until tragedy hits and Rachel loses her best friend. When they find one another again will they be able to get back to the friendship they once had, will it become more, or will things have changed too much?
Let me know what you think. ... I do not have an update timeline set because real life tends to get in the way but feedback always inspires me to write more. Sorry for any grammer mistakes I try to catch what I can. I have an idea of where I want this story to go and it will loosly follow the premise of the show but something will be different and Jesse will be ooc sometime.
Disclaimer: I do not own anything affiliated with Glee. I love the relationship and think it's a lot of fun to play with.
The Erie County Fair in Sandusky Ohio was by no means the largest fair in the state, nor was this event, which was primarily, focused on agriculture a place one would go to find some of the states most talented children and teenagers, but the talent showcase and competition held over three nights had become increasingly popular in the last few years.
The competition had become more popular because each contestant was required to actually audition as opposed to simply filling out an entry form. The first day of competition would narrow down from thirty kids aging from 10 to 18. There would be three categories, singing, dancing, and singing/dancing. After the first day of competition only five competitors from each category would move on to narrow down to the top nine who would compete on the final day where the winners would then be announced as first place singer, dancer, and combined. Then the announcement for top overall would be made.
The top overall award was the goal for a young vibrant girl who would not allow herself to accept anything but the best. Ten years old Rachel Barbara Berry had known from the time she was a toddler that she was meant to be a star. The first time she had seen a Broadway show was at the age of three when her fathers had taken her to the revival of Annie. The entire experience had stuck with her and she knew that there was no future for her that did not include the lights, stages, and applause of Broadway. From that moment on she had soaked up all things Broadway, and done everything she could to reach her goals.
This competition was just another stepping-stone on her way to stardom. She knew this was her first year being allowed to compete and that she was one of the youngest competitors, but she would be walking away the overall winner. The dark haired olive skinned girl had finished setting up her stage case while her daddy was hanging her up her dress. She loved her stage case, a gift from her dads for her birthday six months prior, it was a black case that when opened formed a vanity. It had a mirror surrounded by lights and a make-up organizer with legs that extended from the bottom. Rachel had decorated her case with her signature gold stars.
"Rachel dear, now that you are all set for tonight would you like to go explore the fair grounds for a bit? You could get a snow cone and maybe see some of the animals?" Her dad Hiram asked.
The ten year old looked at her dad in sheer disbelief. "Dad how could you even suggest such a thing? Not only do I need to finish my hair and make-up. I have to go through my breathing exercises, and even though I have no concern about my song choice I would like to run through it once more. Besides the syrup from the snow cone and hay in those barns will only mess with my vocal chords and sinuses and I will not allow my performance to suffer."
"She's right you know dear." Leroy Berry stepped into the tent that had been set up for the contestants and where it seemed that his daughter would be until it was her time on stage. "Our little diva is going to be the youngest contestant to win this competition."
"Well naturally." Rachael beamed at her dads "Dad, Daddy, you can go look around if you like I don't mind."
"Alright our little star, you do your thing. Dad and I will be sure to be front row center. Break a leg." Leroy bent to kiss his daughter's forehead then waited for his husband to do the same before leaving the tent.
The family of three had not noticed the young man across the tent. He sat on a mat stretching his legs while looking over sheet music. While he remained focused on his tasks he was able to catch bits of the conversation the diverse family was having. He couldn't help but smirk at the simple yet slightly arrogant reply the girl gave her… fathers when the subject of winning the competition was discussed.
This pint sized little girl believed she had the power, experience, or talent to beat people up to eight years her senior? Huh and people call me cocky. He himself had been competing since he was six years old and had won nearly every competition he had entered. The few that he did not win had nothing to do with talent or ability but more to do with experience or um "life changes." A few months ago just before his thirteenth birthday his voice had begun to change. He had not been happy when in the middle of a performance he squeaked like a rubber mouse. He had competed once more after that and when the same thing happened he decided to take some time off, focusing solely on dancing until the change in his voice began to even out. Now after a few weeks the squeaks had stopped, he spent some time getting used to the notes he could no longer comfortably hit and the ones that he now had no problem with, and felt confident in his ability to blow his competition away.
If this little girl thought she was going to best him in any aspect of this contest she was sorely mistaken. A woman who had spent half her life on stage had trained him. At the age of one (or so he had been told) he had been sitting in his playpen next to his mother's piano while she practiced her latest composition. When she noticed his smile at the sounds of the instrument decided that one is never too young to learn.
Trained in opera, violin, and piano, Sophia St. James nee Barrett, had fallen in love with music at a young age and while her parents were not the most wealthy of people they did all they could to encourage her talent. She attended Julliard's junior courses and upon her graduation began her career with the New York Philharmonic. She would most likely still be playing with them had she not met Robert St. James
Robert was running the Pittsburgh branch of his father's very successful construction company. SJ Construction was started as a small building company in Akron, Ohio by Robert's grandfather and had grown in to a large development company that handled everything from design to construction. Robert had been living in Pittsburgh since he had graduated Ohio State University the previous year and was quickly making a name for himself as a savvy businessman that did his grandfather's legacy proud.
Sophia's father had worked for SJ Construction for years as a foreman. Sophia had come home from New York for a long weekend and decided to surprise her father at the job site. That was the day that she would meet the love of her life and father of her wonderful child. Sophia and Robert maintained a long distance relationship for a year, made easier by the financial freedom of being a St. James.
After that year Sophia moved home and married Robert, she knew she would miss her time with the Philharmonic but she compromised by occasionally working with the Pittsburgh symphony orchestra, she also found that she had a talent for composing. A year later their son arrived and the couple believed they could not have been happier.
As time passed Sophia spent as much time encouraging her son's obvious talent as she did on her own career. Robert too loved his son fiercely and while proud of his musical ability had hoped to foster a love of business in him as well. This was made difficult as he would often find himself away for days at a time dealing with business issues as the company grew even more successful. While life was not perfect and the boy sometimes wished his father was around more often the three members of the St .James family were truly happy.
The older his son got the more clear it became that his true passion lay in all things musical. Robert did not discourage this passion but remained steadfast that developing interest in other things (such as business) was not a bad thing either. While his son would have happily spent every spare moment learning something new about music, he had begun playing piano on his own at the age of three, dancing and singing at four, learning the guitar at five, Robert also pushed him to other pursuits regardless of any protest that may arise.
Sophia understood where her husband was coming from but tried to remind him that their little boy was just that, little. There would be time to figure out what his future would truly hold. She loved watching her baby perform it had become more satisfying to her than performing herself.
"Hey green eyes," his mother called as she entered the contestants' tent. "I think that's enough prep for you. Why don't we go walk around maybe even ride a ride or two?"
He looked up at her from his position on his mat and smiled. "Mom we only have like an hour before the competition starts. I should really run through things one more time."
His mother rolled her eyes "If you are not prepared by now you should not be getting on that stage. I know you're nervous…" she held up her hand before he could interrupt. "Yes you do get nervous you can tell yourself and everyone else otherwise but I'm your mother, I know better." She stuck her tongue out at him and smiled as he laughed. "You'll do wonderfully as always now come have some fun with your mother."
"Sure mom" he stood up and smirked. His mother noticed her son's green eyes drift toward they tiny little thing across the tent.
"I see another contestant has arrived, have you introduced yourself?" She asked the teen aged son.
He rolled his eyes as only a recently turned thirteen year old boy can and replied quietly "Mom she's competition! I want to win, not make friends with the enemy. Besides she's just a kid it's not like she'll make it past the first round." He did not notice the way the young girls head tilted as she listened discretely to their conversation or the way his mother's eyes narrowed at his statement. "I've never seen her at any other competitions and I would surely remember if she was any kind of threat. Not to mention I would remember someone who has two dads"
"Jesse Robert St. James! There are so many things wrong with the words that just came from your mouth. First of all I do not care what your father tells you these competitions I allow you to attend are not about winning. There is no enemy here. I only allow you to compete because I believe it is best for you to learn and grow as a performer by seeing others who have worked as hard if not harder than you. The onlycompetition or enemy there ever is, is yourself! You set your own bar and should always strive to pass that bar. If someone else is better than you it simply means you set your bar too low. Secondly you are the most amazingly talented young man I have ever seen, biased as I may be, but you of all people should know age has no bearing on talent." She watched as her son took a deep breath and knew her words were getting through. "Finally a person's family dynamics mean nothing; neither your father nor I have raised you to be critical of the way a person chooses to live their life."
Slowly he raised his head shame shining in his eyes. "I'm sorry, and I didn't mean it like that, about her dads I mean. I just meant I've never met anyone with same sex parents before, it's something I would remember."
At this point the girl decided it was time to introduce herself and make a few things clear. "My dads have been together since college." Mother and son turned to the angelic yet icy voice. "They were not easily accepted especially in the town that I've grown up in, but they love each other. I know it's strange but it's all I know and I know they love me more than anything because of what they did to have me."
She quickly told the story of how her dads chose a surrogate and why she does not know exactly who her biological father is. She then went on to state that while she may be young she had yet to lose a competition and that his belief that because he had never seen her before was silly. She had never seen him before but that did not mean he could not be somewhat talented.
Holding out her hand she stated "I'm Rachel Barbara Berry, remember my name it will be in lights on Broadway one day."
Sophia smiled widely at the little starlet and held back a laugh at her son's flabbergasted expression. She decided to rescue the poor boy from his dazed state and introduced both herself and her son before inviting the girl to enjoy a bit of the fair with them. She received a polite "No thank you, Mrs. St. James" in return along with an explanation that she has a pre performance routine she needs to finish not to mention that this is where she told her dads she would be.
An hour and a half later Jesse found himself standing on the side of the stage as Rachael was being introduced. He was anxious to see what this little ball of energy and confidence was capable of. He had gotten a chance to speak with her a little more before the competition began and found her to be, a little odd, very interesting, and extremely mature for her age. He smiles as he remembers her answer when he questioned her age.
"I'm ten and a half, my birthday is in December, but my dads have always said I'm an old soul and wise beyond my years. I think it's because they've always been open with me and allowed me to explore life as I please…. And well I have never had many friends, even people who have known me my whole life, my dads even longer, they still look at me as strange because of my family. Add that to my ambition and talent well…" she shrugged like it was simply to be expected.
He watched as Rachael took the stage in her little red and white polka dot dress. She raised her head confidently before opening her mouth and letting the first verse of Tomorrow fill the air. Jesse's was impressed, this tiny girl had talent and stage presence but he wasn't sure it would be enough to win a competition were you had to be talented to even get here.
After she took a bow to an appreciative crowd she made her way off the stage giving him a small smile and a nod that he knew to mean good luck.
Jesse took the stage, his back facing the crowd; he had entered the competition as a combo competitor. He would be singing Phil Collins' In the air tonight. His private dance instructor had choreographed a lyrical/jazz number to accompany the music beautifully. He nailed the number, he did not even need to hear the applause of the crowd to know, he could feel it in his bones. It was the feeling he could never completely explain to his father when he tried to give him a reason why he loved performing so much. The stage is his home.
Both Rachael and Jesse moved on to the second day of competition. After the semi finalist were announced Sophia and Jesse made their way to where the Berry family were, both fathers hugging their daughter. After introductions the five decided to have dinner together.
It seemed this group would remain close over the next three days. The adults spent their time enjoying the fair, talking about careers, and what it is like to be the parents of obviously rising stars. As for the two performers, they spent their time discussing anything and everything about the world of theater. Rachael spent her time educating Jesse on all things Broadway. (by the time she was satisfied he had to admit that there was no way his already vast amount of Broadway knowledge could rival hers.) In turn Jesse explained his love of rock and power ballads and a bit shyly admitted his interest in opera (thanks to his mother).
Over the three days Jesse learned that Rachael would be a force to compete against. Her semi final rendition of Castle on a Cloud from Les Miserables was beautiful and so far above her performance of Tomorrow. Nothing, however, could have prepared him for the power in her voice as she sang Don't rain on my parade. It was like watching a mini Barbara on stage, the only thing lacking in any of her performances was the emotional depth needed to 'sell' the songs.
He told her as much after it was announced that he had been voted the overall winner while Rachel had been given the honor of top singer. She had been angry and outraged at the "Judges obvious lack of intelligence."
"Rachael, you need to calm down. You were amazing but there can only be one winner. You did win though, you do realize this right?"
"No you won!" she stomped her food and Jesse fought to keep in his laugh.
"Oh stop being a drama queen!" he threw his hands up before continuing. "You beat out twenty-eight other talented performers. You just made some poor choices." He could see she wanted to interrupt but he pressed on. "You have a beautiful voice and perfect pitch, but you're only ten."
She went to interrupt again and he rolled his eyes. "Sorry ten and a half the point is the songs you sang, with the possible exception of Tomorrow require a connection with the song to truly pull it off. You haven't had the chance to experience enough to feel or at the very least act those feelings."
She stood with her arms crossed and sarcastically. "Alright Superstar, are you telling me you have enough life experience to 'connect' with every song?"
He smirked but shook his head. "No I don't but I've taken a lot of acting classes, I always try to pick songs that make me feel something so even if I can't relate I have a reaction to the music itself and if I want to sing something that I have trouble connecting to emotionally… I dance."
He finished his statement with a wink and Rachel could not help but to roll her eyes. She and Jesse spent the rest of the afternoon talking about song choices, and Rachel's concerns that while a capable dancer she knew that singing would always be her strongest helped her see that she could become a triple threat but she needed to begin to focus more on acting and dancing since her singing was already her strongest quality.
The five met the next morning for breakfast before they would all return home. Jesse and Rachel exchanged emails, and phone numbers promising to keep in touch and both looking forward to competing again next year.
The summer passed quickly for the two budding stars but they found themselves communicating practically every day. If it were not a phone call it was an email, or on their very busy days a simple myspace comment.
Jesse would tell Rachel all about how excited he was to begin Sewickley Academy's middle school. He was planning on joining their A Capella group because he thought it would be a good idea to begin performing more often with a group, but would still compete in solo competitions. He also told her how he had to promise his father he would join the Model UN. "he thinks it's important to be knowledgeable about world events and politics to be a good businessman." This was a concession Jesse had to make if he wanted to be allowed to take two new acting classes after school.
Rachel told him about the new performing arts classes she had enrolled in. "I took your advice and am trying to become more of a triple threat." She did not talk much about school since she would still be in elementary school and thought that it would most likely bore Jesse.
Once school began their interaction decreased somewhat as they both had classes and extracurriculars. They still made time to critique performances the other would post. They would make sure to talk at least once a week. Rachel's sarcastic nickname from the summer had stuck and she began referring to Jesse as Superstar more and more often. Jesse laughed at this. "Well if I get a nickname you need one too and since you truly are a rising star, I can't think of anything better than Starlet."
Rachel felt that Jesse was truly her best friend, well only true friend. There were some others in her dance and voice classes that she spoke to and occasionally spent time with but most of them had a hard time accepting her. She was the most talented and outshined everyone that competed against her. It seemed that the more her talents increased the more of an oddity she became. Having two dads and refusing to become a cookie cutter girl did not help matters. Rachel knew her dream and while the other girls were showing interests in cheerleading, shopping, and fashion she stayed focused on her goals.
Jesse too thought of Rachel as a best friend. His experience however, was much different than hers. Rachel lived in a small town compared to where Jesse grew up. His hometown may have been small but they lived just outside the city and that meant the jealousy that came along with a small talent pool was less. Jesse was a standout in all of his endeavors but there was more opportunity for those with similar interests. Also he was at a different stage in life; one where his confidence and charm allowed him to be well liked and quite popular. He was recognized more often for his talent and was enjoying the attention, although his mother would often give him extra chores just to puncture a hole in his growing ego.
Rachel never mentioned her social struggles to Jesse. He was always so happy when they spoke, that is if he wasn't having a fit over some faux pas someone in his drama class made. "Honestly Jesse you are a bigger drama queen than me! So this boy isn't a fan of Sondheim he is entitled to his opinion. Calm down Superstar." She tried to tell herself she did not confide in him because he would argue that her whining and ranting made her the bigger drama queen. She knew though that she has a fear of Jesse realizing she was still just a kid and didn't fit in his life.
They did talk about some serious issues. A few times when Rachel had called and Jesse was not home she would talk to Sophia. She was a wonderful woman and encouraged and nurtured Rachel just as she did for Jesse. Once when she was speaking to Sophia, Jesse came in and found it amusing that Rachel was having such a long conversation with his mother. Later that night she explained that while her dads were great it was nice to have a woman to talk to as well. When he asked if she knew anything of her biological mother or if she ever tried to find her she gave him the most honest answer she could. "No and I really never thought to ask. I don't want my dads to be upset and besides I love my family the way it is. Maybe one day I'll want to know more about her but I don't see that happening for a very long time."
Jesse also confided in her when he would get frustrated with his father. Robert was still accepting of Jesse's interests in musical theater but was much harder on his son than his wife. "Honestly dad's great but he just doesn't get it. Yes when I compete I want to win but I want to make myself better even more, and losing is a way to learn my weaknesses. Mom wants me to win as well and I usually do but for dad it's like there is no other option. Sometimes I wonder if he'll make me quit if I don't always come out on top."
Rachel could hear sadness in Jesse's voice as he spoke. She tried to make him feel better explaining that Robert probably just wanted to protect his son, seeing someone you love try and fail is never easy. This did not help because Jesse insisted that he was beginning to believe that his dad would prefer if performing was simply a hobby and not a life dream. He truly believed if it was not for his father's love for his mother and the desire to see her happy he would not even attend a single performance. Sophia had tried to explain to him that Robert had never felt the thrill of being on stage so he could not possibly understand. She told him that his dad loved him and was so proud but had lived in a world of business for too long his all or nothing attitude was one of the reasons that made him successful.
Before they knew it almost a full year had past and it was one month before the competition in Sandusky. Rachel was bouncing with excitement. She was going to enter as a combo competitor this year and be dancing ballet to Favorite Things from sound of music for her first piece.
"Oh Jesse I can't wait to see you and I can't wait for you to see the amazing arrangement I have! It's going to be so much fun and then after Favorite Things you're going to be so surprised to hear what I have planned for the semi finals. You never did tell me what are you going to perform? I mean I'm sure you have something amazing prepared."
Jesse sighed once she stopped gushing and waited for his response. He had been dreading this conversation for the last week. "Rach, I… um" he hesitated.
"Jesse you sound nervous? What's the matter Superstar I thought you never got nervous" Rachel teased.
"I'm not going to be at the competition this year." He blurted out before he could lose his nerve.
"What!" she shrieked in true Rachel Berry dramatic fashion. Jesse was prepared for this and had pulled the phone away from his ear.
"Starlet, I'm sorry really I am." He said softly. "Do you remember that performing arts camp in New York I told you about? Well I'm going and I will not be back in time for the competition. This is a huge opportunity I can't miss it you know that."
Rachel was not happy but she accepted the situation. She did know he could not pass this up. The camp was run by some amazing instructors and even had some stage and screen stars run workshops. Rachel would love to have been able to attend but the cost was much higher than her fathers could spend. Her family was well off but with the funds already allotted to her training a camp like that was just not something that was doable. Jesse promised to contact her as soon as he returned and expected to hear how she had wiped out all the other competition and came home with the overall title.
She did win the overall, and he did call her when he returned but the call was not immediate. She had waited five days after he was supposed to be back before he finally called. He was naturally happy for her but insisted he did not doubt she would be victorious. Their conversation that night was long but awkward.
Rachel filled him in on all the happenings while he was away, mainly the competition and the trip her fathers had taken her on to see West Side Story. Jesse told her all about camp and learning from people who knew what it was like to be on stage at the Great White Way. What made things awkward was Jesse.
At camp Jesse was surrounded by like minded teenagers. He connected with them better than even his friends from home. He also began to realize that girls like guys who could dance and sing, there truly is a reason why boy bands are so popular. Rachel was not surprised by this. She may still be a preteen but she knew Jesse was cute and talented. Apparently he was beginning to think that there was more to his talent that simply becoming a star. When he told her about these things she could not help but roll her eyes and mutter 'boys' under her breath.
What Rachel did not realize at the time was that this was the beginning of the end of their friendship. They would still communicate in some way every week but what had been hour long conversations or pages long email had become little more than a short email or myspace post. When she was lucky she would get a twenty minute phone conversation. This was by no means her choice and Jesse was not pushing her away on purpose. Honestly he had not even realized what was happening, he had just been so busy with school and all of his extracurricular activities and… girls that he just did not have the same amount of free time as Rachel. When they did talk he found it hard to tell her everything. He did not know how to talk to her about the group bowling or movie date he had gone on or how he had to get a suit for the middle school prom. He did call her and spend a good amount of time on the phone with her for her twelfth birthday. He told her that she had better remember to bring his birthday gift to Sandusky since he did plan on attending this year, would have just turned fifteen, and would most certainly have her present with him.
This however would not happen because Jesse's fifteenth birthday in March would be the last time he and Rachel would speak other than a few emails and post after his birthday. A little over a month after his birthday Rachel had tried to call him and the phone went straight to voicemail. There was no return call and after a week had passed she tried sending him an email which also went unanswered. Another week passed and a frustrated Rachel signed on to myspace only to find that Jesse had not logged on for over a week but what had truly hurt her was the last post he had made.
'Thank you everyone for your support during this time. My mother would be honored to know she was so loved. I'm sorry if you try to contact me and I don't respond but this is going to be my last post for a while. I just need some time."
Rachel was crying without even realizing it. She quickly did a search for news on Sophia St. James only to find that during a sever rain the woman had hydroplaned and lost control of her car. According to news reports she hit a tree road barrier and died upon impact. Her daddy found her staring at her computer screen in disbelief, tears silently flowing down her face. When he saw the article she was reading he knew her heart was breaking for her friend. She went to grab the phone to call again but he stopped her. Leroy gently took his baby girl in his arms and told her that if Jesse was asking for time she should respect that, he would get in contact when he was ready. Rachel nodded but it was killing her inside to be helpless against her friend's pain.
Rachel did as her daddy told her and gave Jesse time hoping that he would call soon so she could help him through this time. He never called. After a month of silence Rachel logged on to myspace again only to find his page deleted. She emailed him and called only to find both accounts closed. She could not understand what happened and had worried something may have happened to him as well. Her dads helped her understand that there could be any number of easons for this to have happened and even did a web search to show her that if anything serious had happened it would have been in the news.
Eventually Rachel had to accept that the only way she would hear from her Superstar again was if he made contact first.