Like I Always Wanted
Summary: When the summer before senior years starts Rachel received a phone call and a request that will change everything. Brittberry by request, mostly canon up to this point, AU from the start. A few changes to junior year. Rated M for later chapters
Disclaimer: I do not own any rights to Glee or any of it characters.
I don't have a beta so all mistakes are mine.
Chapter 1
Rachel sang along to the radio as she drove down the highway. She received a phone call from her gymnastics camp a few days ago and they offered her a counselor position with pay. A group had signed up last minute and she was needed to help teach. Of course she accepted. She was supposed to be going anyway but to be able to actually teach this year and be paid for it was too good of an opportunity to pass up.
That had been almost a week ago and the same day she and Finn broke up for good. She had been excited for the opportunity and rushed over to tell Finn about it. Instead of sharing her joy he was mad that she would be leaving for and extra week of the summer. She told him that she had already informed him of her leaving for camp and an extra week was worth the money and the experience that she would get from it. Also that it would look great on her college applications. He told her it wasn't fair to him for her to be doing this, that he was more important than her college apps and told her she had to choose, him or camp. She looked at him incredulously and asked if he was serious and when he nodded she gathered her purse and walked to the door thanking him for making that choice easy. He followed her to her car trying to convince her to stay and talk about it but she refused saying they were through and she hoped he found someone that would complement him better than she ever had. With that she drove away.
So here she was with the top down headed toward the camp grounds across state. She was going to ride with the others on the bus but she had received a new car as a present from her fathers. Partly as a yay you passed junior year partly as a sorry were leaving town for the whole summer. They were going on a trip to Europe and felt bad that she was staying home. She didn't understand why they felt bad when they had wanted her to go with them but she wanted to stay to go to camp and had hoped to be spending the rest of her summer with Finn. She would just have to adjust the last want to something else but she was still looking forward to camp.
Still they bought her this lovely new convertible Camaro and there was no way she was leaving it for 6 weeks at home when no one would be there to keep an eye on it. She called and informed her gymnastics instructor that she would be teaching at camp this year and had personal transportation. She was in love with her car. She had liked the Prius and had bragged about the gas millage and economy of the car but honestly she had wanted a Camaro. He fathers knew this but insisted she drove for the first year in a safer car. She now had the car of her dream 6 months early due to unneeded guilt but she would take it.
She smiled as she saw the signs indicating that the camp was a just up ahead. As she turned in she noticed the bus from her gymnastics school. They drove anyone in the area that signed up for the camp to help with transportation. She smiled as she got out of her car and heard the telling squeal that informed her that Brittany was there and had spotted her.
"OH MY GOD RACH!" Brittany picked her up and spun her in circles laughing. "I though you weren't coming."
Rachel hugged her tight and stepped back with a chuckle. "I got a new car and didn't trust leaving it at home for 6 weeks. I didn't think you were coming. I figured you'd be at cheer camp with the Cheerios since coach was having it early this summer."
Looking down sadly she sighed. "Coach wouldn't let us join again. She said she could do it without us. I'm not sure what San and Q are doing right now. Coach Jan at the studio talked me into coming as a Counselor yesterday so I packed and got on the bus this morning."
Rachel squealed, "Oh my god, had I know you could have ridden with me. I'm a counselor as well."
Brittany jumped up and down excitedly. "Awesome, maybe they will assign us to the same cabin. That would be so amazing. Let's grab our stuff and report to the office. I'm supposed to talk to Marsha."
Rachel nodded as she opened the trunk. "Me too, sounds good."
They walked over to the pile of duffle bags from the bus and retrieved Brittany's things then headed to the office. What most people didn't know is that Brittany and Rachel have been friends since they were 7 years old and started dance and gymnastics together. They went to different school until High school. That changed things for them but they maintained their friendship outside of the school walls.
When they made it to the office Marsha was waiting for them with a smile and a hug. "Hello girls, thank you for helping us out on such short notice. We have a last minute group that is coming in and we thought with your individual talents you would be able to help them the best. We had already assigned all the other counselors so you are both life savers."
Brittany clapped excitedly. "We're working together?"
Marsha chuckled at her enthusiasm and nodded. "Yes, you two are gold together. The routines you have created together every year are amazing. That's what this group needs."
The girls just smile as she goes over all they would have to do this summer. Once they had their packets she told them to follow. "Ok, you won't recognize this area too much. It is reserved for groups larger than 15 that want group training. This will be the first year we have had a group this large in 5 years. It's also the same group as before, well, the same coach, different kids."
She rounded the corner of a building and led them in to the bunk house. "They have twenty eight girls and this is the bunk house for them. Fourteen down one corridor and fourteen down the other. They will not be arriving until the end of the week so that gives you time to prepare. Your instructor Ashley from last year will be helping you get ready for the group and will stay to help as needed but this is your show. What you two say goes. Their coach and her other chaperone will be staying with this girls in the two center rooms."
She led them out to the smaller cabin to the right of the bunk house. "This is your cabin. It actually sleeps 4 but it will just be the two of you for now. We have offered two others a position assisting you, but we haven't gotten a definite answer from them yet. We wanted to help you out just because of the amount of kids in this group. Most of our groups are no more than 10 girls with 2 to 3 councilors. If they take the job they will be here by Friday at the latest. Sunday the group arrives and Monday you get started."
Brittany tossed her bag on the bed by the window and looked around. "This is so awesome." She looked Rachel with a smile then back to Marsha. "So, we have a whole week to prepare for them. Then if we get the two helpers they will be here in 5 days for us to get them ready to help us?"
Marsha nodded. "Yep, now, in your packets are the times for everything. Nothing has really changes since last year so you should be familiar with everything. The only change is that we normally just have camp for 5 weeks and this group is getting an extra week since they are coming in a week late. They paid extra so they would have a week here alone. This is why I told you on the phone that I needed 6 weeks from you Rachel."
She turned to Brittany, "I assume Jan informed you of this as well Britt?"
Brittany nodded happily. "Yes, she said it was a special circumstance."
Walking out to the main room Marsha sat and motioned for the girls to follow. "Ok, I also need to talk to you about the routine that each group is required to show in the showcase. I know your group will be a week behind but they will still need to have at least a short program."
The girls nod and she continue. "Also, if the coach is impressed with the routine she will be asking permission to use it or parts of it. You can say yes or no it is your choice, it's your routine." She slapped her knees and stood. "That's all I have for now. Ashley will meet you in the cafeteria after breakfast tomorrow to get started. Enjoy your evening and I will see you at dinner."
The girls stood hugging her then walked her to the door. Once she left Brittany turned to Rachel, "Oh my god this is going to be so much fun Rach. For us to get to plan it all from start to finish for such a large group. It's going to be epic."
Rachel just chuckled and followed as she danced around the room then sat back on the couch. "It's not like you haven't been doing just that for three years now with Cheerios."
Brittany shrugged. "Yea but it would have been so much easier if you had been there to help me. You always explain things better than me."
Rachel sat next to her throwing her legs in Brittany's lap. "Well, I guess we'll see how it goes here. You know they were never going to let me join Cheerios with you. I tried."
Brittany frowned remembering. She and Rachel had shown up for tryouts together but the head Cheerio didn't even let Rachel get five counts into her routine before cutting her off and telling her to leave. They told her that they didn't need homo babies on their team. Brittany was outraged when she found out what they had said and tried to not join but Rachel talked her out of it. She didn't want Britt to suffer for her. Britt loved cheering, gymnastics and dance. It was her calling and Rachel knew that her friend would be better off on the squad then seen with her all the time.
Brittany looked to her sadly. "I know and it wasn't fair. I just wish you had tried again after she left."
Rachel looked away. "It would have been the same Britt. Quinn would never have allowed me to join either. She was just as bad as her sister until halfway through sophomore year. By then I had Glee and I was happy with that."
Rubbing Rachel's leg absentmindedly Britt looked down. "I hated the way they treated you before we all joined Glee. Santana never understood why I stopped talking to her every time she slushied you or ordered one. Quinn was just a bitch until her dad was out of her life. She's actually pretty awesome now accept for the whole fighting with you over Finn."
Rachel chuckled. "Well, that won't be a problem anymore. She can have him."
Britt looked up sharply. "What, what happened!?"
Rachel shrugged. "He was mad about me coming to camp and told me he was more important than my future. Then he made me choose, him or camp. I chose camp, I chose to finally let that go because he was never good for me and I was just using him to pass the time so I wasn't as alone. I don't need him. I deserve better."
Britt scooted closer, "You shouldn't have been alone in the first place. I should have never listened to you and stayed with you instead of the Cheerios."
Cupping her face Rachel kissed her forehead. "Britt, you are my best friend and I couldn't have lived with it if I had been the cause of you losing an opportunity to showcase your talent. My love is singing it's who I am. Yes I'm good at the other stuff too but that stuff is who you are. You need it to further your life. I've been ok, and you're in Glee with me and we see each other in gymnastics and dance. We're ok."
Leaning in with a few tears falling Brittany connected their foreheads. "I'm not pretending you're not my friend at school anymore. If Santana and Quinn can't handle that I'm sorry for them but we have one year before we move on to college and I refuse to waste any time we have left. Please Rach, I don't want to do this anymore. I never wanted to do this."
Rachel looked into her eyes for a moment then nodded. "Ok, if you feel that strongly about it, Ok."
Brittany scoffed. "I've always felt this strongly about it. You just wouldn't listen to me."
Rachel looked down. "I didn't want you to lose Santana or Cheer. I know you two are closer than you let on to the school."
Brittany looked at her incredulously. "Um, Santana and I are just friends Rach. I know people think we are secretly dating or something but were not. I've been trying to help her. If I tell you something you have to promise to not ever tell anyone." Rachel nodded and she continued. "Santana confided in me that she is a lesbian. She's in love with another girl. It's not me though. I've been trying to help her come to terms with herself and come out. I honestly don't know if the person she loves would admit to liking her too but if one of them doesn't make a move they'll never have a chance to be together."
"I already figured out that Santana was a lesbian but if it's not you who is it?"
Taking a breath she sat back. "Quinn."
Rachel's eye bugged out of her head. "Quinn, are you sure?"
Brittany shrugged. "San told me she loves her."
Rachel shook her head. "No, are you sure Quinn likes her the same way?"
"Oh yes, just watch them sometime when they are in the same room. It's so obvious."
Rachel huffed. "Well, I guess my gaydar is just off. I thought sure you were bi and Quinn was straight."
Brittany smiled. "I am bi Rach. It's just the chasing after Finn that threw you off with Quinn. She would never guess that you're a lesbian either."
Rachel looked up shocked. "How… Why would you think that? I've never dated anyone but boys."
"I know you Rach. You only date boys because you don't want people to have another reason to act like asses to you and say gay people can only raise gay kids."
Rachel sighed and lay back on the arm of the couch. "I hate that you know me so well sometimes."
Brittany giggled. "No you don't and I love that you know me too, but do you honestly think I would have dated San and Artie at the same time?
Rachel shrugged, "I wasn't sure what was going on there. You never had real feelings for him and I wasn't sure what you were doing dating him. I thought maybe you were trying to make Santana jealous or something."
Brittany blushed slightly. "I had my reasons for dating him, maybe I'll tell you about them sometime but right now it's time for dinner."
She stood and pulled a laughing Rachel up with her and they headed to the cafeteria.
A/N: Ok, Here is the first chapter of my new Brittberry story. I know I have 2 other glee stories going but Avenging Angel is winding down soon and this story was a request. Once I started brainstorming it wouldn't let me alone. So here it is let me know what you think.
