Happy Sunday Everyone! I just had to get this out there. It was one of those stories that won't leave you alone (or your afraid that if you leave it alone you will forget it). This is part of my first series and is set four years after First Kiss. I know that I have at least two more stories left in this universe. Happy reading and review if you would like!

-Sami

Rachel Berry fidgeted at her vanity. Her lips were bitten tight, her eyes shifting. All the people in the room looked upon her face with concern. She quietly asked, "Is he here yet?"

All of the people in the room, her four best friends, her fathers, and her mother shifted their eyes toward one another, wondering who would say it. Finally Blaine spoke up, "Not yet, Cath."

She nodded her head, trying to prevent tears from escaping her eyes and ruining her make-up. A knock came to the door. All eyes turned in hope, only to be disappointed when the stage hand popped his head in and said, "Two minutes until curtain Ms. Berry."

The actress nodded her head and said, "Thank you Henry," once he had left she turned to her family and rose to her feet, saying, "Tonight is my Broadway debut. No one or no thing is going to ruin tonight for me. Not even him. You all better go to your seats."

Her private audience nodded leaving the room slowly, each offering a "Break a leg," "We love you," "You will be amazing." Each left knowing that they could not fill the void that had been created by her missing partner.

They all gathered in the hallway staring at one Blaine Anderson. "Where the hell is he, Anderson?" Santana Lopez spat.

Brittany put a shoulder on her partners arm, "Sanny, don't blame Blaine, this is Jesse's fault."

"Besides, "Kurt Hummel spoke up, "We all know where he is."

They all nodded their heads. "Personally, I thought he was better than this," Leroy Berry whispered.

His partner had other ideas, "Perhaps he just hoped Rachel would understand," Hiram Berry responded.

Shelby shook her head, "Rachel may understand better than anyone else, but it doesn't mean that she isn't hurt by his actions."

Blaine finally spoke, "I have been trying to call him all night but he refuses to answer his phone. My next step is to call the theater."

Everyone stared blankly for a while before Hiram said, "Well, just because Jesse is missing tonight doesn't mean that we should."

Everyone nodded and meandered out into the theater to get their seats. Well, except for Blaine.

Jesse St. James was putting on the finish on his make-up when a knock came to his door, "Mr. St. James, you have a phone call," the stage hand said, giving him the phone.

He rolled his eyes, taking the phone from the hand, "Jesse St. James and this better be quick."

"Where the fucking hell are you St. James?" an irate Blaine asked.

"Well you called me Blaine, so I think you know where I am."

Blaine let out an exasperated sigh, "You know what Jesse, over the years I have defended you endlessly. Never once agreeing with anyone when they insulted your character, called you a dick, an asshole. Anything, I would defend you, as your best friend. But tonight, tonight you have hit a new low and I am calling you an asshole."

"Oh Blaine, don't be so dramatic."

"Dramatic? Really? So your not missing your girlfriend of four years Broadway debut?"

"There will be other opening nights. I'm just doing my job."

"Wow."

"What?"
"I just cannot believe you are being so callous about this. I mean, I have heard you be ruthless and inconsiderate to so many people. Friends, castmates, strangers, even your parents, but Rachel? You really willing to be this way to Rachel? To the love of your life? Wow. I am actually ashamed to be your friend right now. Forget it, you deserve whatever hell you get from this. But Rachel, she deserves better than this."

All Jesse heard after that was the dial tone and the faint thoughts of a guilty conscious.

A standing ovation was how Rachel finished the play. Everyone loving her. She quickly raced to her dressing room to change for the night ahead. Her family waited for her there. She hugged everyone, high from the stage and yet her face was a mixture of tears of joy and heartbreak.

When she reached Blaine her smiled faltered as she asked, "He never came, did he?"

He shook his head as his partner put a hand on her shoulder and said, "You can move in with us for a while."

She shook her head, answering, "I don't want to intrude or ruin any friendships."

Blaine looked her straight in the eyes and admitted, "You're not intruding, your one of my best friends, I am pissed at Jesse for this, and besides, our place is closer to the theater."

All Rachel could do was hug Blaine tighter. She knew that this could possibly make Jesse's and Blaine's friendship more strained but at least she had a place to turn to.

Following her conversation with Blaine and Kurt, her night had been hectic. Going out to parties to celebrate opening night of the show, but on the big smile to celebrate her success. Getting told all night how wonderful her performance was. By four am she was exhausted physically and emotionally and resented the fact that the night wasn't going to get any easier once she got home.

She had tried to creep into the penthouse she shared with Jesse but was shaken when she heard a voice call out from the living room, "So how was the big night?"

She closed her eyes tightly, trying to will him away with no success. She responded tersely, "Like you give a fuck."

Jesse was startled by her language. She rarely used profanity, considering it crass and of poor nature. He stood up from the chair he was sitting in, his curls falling into his face as he reached out to his girlfriend, "Come one Rachel don't be like that."

She scoffed, backing away from his reach "Like what? Angry? Hurt? Insulted? Disappointed? How the hell am I supposed to act when my boyfriend. Scratch, my partner for the last four years doesn't even show up to support me on the night of my Broadway debut?"

Jesse looked down at his feet, feeling a mild shame for his behavior and defended, "I had my show tonight."

"Right," Rachel let out a bitter laugh, "Your fourth show, that you have been in the production for months now, and are being nominated for a Tony because of. A show that you couldn't even take the night of from to support your girlfriend."

"You know how understudies are Rachel."

"Oh my god! You are still defending yourself. I have heard that it is lonely at the top, but I thought when we go together I wouldn't have to worry about that. You would know the importance of every event. You would be my leading man. But poor me, my leading man doesn't want the role. He wants to be a solo act, so that's what he gets."

She quickly left the living room, tears falling down her face. She went into their shared bedroom and pulled a suitcase from the closet. She was tired, she was hurt, and she didn't want to be anywhere near him. She piled her toiletries, clothing, and a few personal items into the suitcase. She stormed to the front door only to be blocked by Jesse.

"What the hell do you are doing?"

She turned to stare him the eyes, "I'm leaving you Jesse."

He laughed, "Don't you think you are being a little over dramatic?"

Rachel stopped dead in her tracks, "You know Jesse, it would be different if you had apologized. If you felt remorse. Here I am hurt, worse than ever before, and you don't even give a damn. You think did nothing wrong. I had always thought that Vocal Adrenaline was the team with soulless automatons, not Dalton. Apparently I was wrong. I can't live with you right now. I can't stand you right now. Goodbye Jesse."

She slammed the door shut, leaving him in the hallway.

So time passed and before Jesse knew it, a month had passed since the love of his life had decided to leave him. The month had gone slowly. He felt the gap, the missing piece. She was gone. Well not quite. Her face was everywhere, the new queen of Broadway. Everyone was raving about her performance. She had even been nominated for a Tony.

Coincidently, tonight was the Tony's. Jesse had been before but he was grief stricken by the fact that he couldn't share this night with Rachel. Both nominated for Tony's. Both awaiting the win. But there was more. He missed her. She was everything. She was sweet, she was perfection. Without her, he had learned, he was nothing more than a jerk who could sing and dance.

He was going to see her tonight. Face to face for the first time in months. She had sent movers to pick up the rest of her things. He hadn't seen her. He needed to see her, just to prove to himself that she was still alive. He knew he was a jackass. He knew that she was right to leave. He should had been there. She needed to come home. He needed her.

He saw her on the red carpet. Hiram and Leroy on her arms, smiling proudly at their daughter's success. She looked stunning. He tried to do interviews but found himself unable to concentrate when she was so close. He had to talk to her.

The moment as the trio entered the theater. Her father's smirked and let go of her arm so that he may grab her. Quickly he pulled her into an alcove, covering her mouth so that she wouldn't scream.

She immediately started to fight him. He finally let her go, only to be slapped in the face.

"I guess I deserve that," Jesse said, rubbing his jaw.

"What the hell!" Rachel screeched.

Jesse quickly regained his composure and said, "Please come home. I am so unbelievably sorry. I will do whatever it takes to make it up to you. Please come home. Please. I am sorry. Please, please, please."

"You have horrible timing! You're a month late! What, why, how?" Rachel was baffled.

"I miss you, I love you. I need you. I cannot live without you. I don't want to live without you. I should have been there. I needed to be there. I was wrong to put the show first. Not on your big night. I do not deserve you. Just please, if you still love me, come home."

Rachel sighed, "I have to go Jesse."

Rachel walked away from Jesse only to be found by her father Hiram. She raced into his arm and whispered, "I still love him daddy. Is that wrong? I still love the jackass."

Hiram gave a slight laugh, "You and Jesse make sense. You are soulmates. He hurt you, but he was only able to hurt you because of the love that you two share. You expect more from him because you expect the best in him. You need him," and nodded to Jesse who looked to be holding back tears, "and from the looks of it, he needs you too."

Rachel gave a sob, "I can't believe I made him cry."

"Even after all the tears you have had over him?"

"I still don't want him to be hurt."

"Sometimes we hurt the people we love the most. The important part is that you can still love one another afterwards."

Rachel nodded, knowing that she was going back home.

The award show began with a bang as a quartet of friends sat in the living room, cheering on their best friend. All four watched with attention. It was everything Broadway was.

Then Jesse came on stage, performing with the ensemble. All people in the living room were quiet when Santana spoke up, "Is it wrong that I want St. Jackass to win, even after what happened with Rachel?"

Kurt answered, "He is still a member of our group, still one of us."

Brittany nodded, "We hurt the people we love sometimes. He hurt Rachel but he is still our friend. I want him to win."

Blaine readjusted himself on the couch and said, "He's been my best friend for years. I always want what is best for him. What is best for him is Rachel and winning that Tony."

Everybody laughed as Kurt said, "I just want Rachel back. She hasn't been whole since she left him. What he did was wrong but they need one another."

"Yeah, St. Jackass always made her happy. She made him less of a jackass," Santana surmised.

Brittany raised her wine glass, "To St. Berry getting back together and winning those damn Tony's!"

Everyone toasted as the presenter began, "And the Tony for Best Leading Actor in a Musical goes to: Jesse St. James, Promises, Promises."

Cheers rang through the apartment as Jesse walked to the stage and accepted his award. He began his speech, "First I want to thank everyone who made this musical amazing. To all Dalton Warblers, thank you for your support. Finally, to my leading lady who I love completely and just to come home. I hope that you can come back. I hope you love me enough to come back, even though I don't deserve you too. I love you. Thank you"

The apartment was silent. They couldn't believe. His moment, he had ruined to get Rachel back.

"Well now I really want Rachel to win," Santana quipped.

They all nodded, waiting with more attention for the presenter to announce Rachel's category. The presenter began and announced Rachel the winner. Her speech was much simpler, " I would like to thank the company, my old Glee club, my fathers. I love you all so much and couldn't have done this without you. And Jesse? I was planning on coming home before you gave that speech. I love you and thank you."

Then, the craziest moment happened as Jesse St. James ran up to the stage and took Rachel into his arms, kissing her with complete passion. The quartet was laughing.

"The world's most over dramatic couple on this face of the planet," observed Kurt.

"Yeah, but their Tony winners so I think it is permitted," Brittany observed.

"Its Rachel and Jesse, at least they are over dramatic together," Santana noted.

Blaine just sighed, "Now everything can go back to normal," three sets of eyes stared at him, "Well at least as normal as it can be when you consider Jesse and Rachel to be your best friends."

"God their going to unbearable."

Kurt answered Santana's words with, "Yeah but better it be them being unbearable together then apart. At least they have their own place."

The group nodded, happy for their friends.

Jesse and Rachel were standing on the stage holding one another when Rachel said, "You are going to be making this up to me for as long as you live. You are just lucky that I love so much even when I hate you."

Jesse nodded, "Completely. Was that proposal?"

She glared, "Do not push your luck St. James, you just got me back. If you are going to have to a hell of a lot of work."

"Like begging for you to come back to me in my Tony acceptance speech?"

"Oh my god."

"What?"

"We are still on stage and being filmed."

"We have had worse."

"We better get off stage."

"Can't handle the spotlight?"

"I wasn't talking about the spotlight, I was talking about our friends."

The two began to exit the stage as Jesse said, "Thank you for taking me back."

"Thank you for apologizing."

"Is that your way of saying that you won our first fight?"

"You just apologized to me on national television."

"Yeah, you won the fight. Lets never fight again."

"Unlikely but let's just promise to always return to one another."

"That I can do."

The couple left the stage knowing that they were going to be okay.

Hope you enjoyed it!

-Sami