One-Shot that's been in my mind since last night! I don't own Glee, Jonathan Groff, Or Christina Perri… :( Review!

You put your arms around me and I'm home

Yanking his arm away from the gargantuan gym teacher Jesse straightened his jacket and glared at her. He couldn't help but think that she really is exceptionally tall for a woman! 'So different from Rachel…Rachel.'

He inhaled deeply ignoring the sanctimonious lecture he was currently on the receiving end off along with Finn. Jackass, and crap he was huge too. Was there something in the water here in Lima?

'Lima…Rachel…Crap.' He honestly hadn't meant for this to happen.

'She's going to be so mad at me.' Jesse sighed internally.

Seeing the teacher turn abruptly Jesses' stiff posture relaxed and he moved away before he ended up hitting the larger, obnoxious teen. Finn had been lucky that he hadn't been able to retaliate to the punch he'd thrown, because with the mood he was in Jesse wasn't going to stop after one punch.

"Hey, ! You and me need to talk!" Jesse stopped his pacing to level a glare at the tall boy.

"I have nothing more to say to you." Rachel should be proud that he's containing his anger so well right now, pity she's inside, were he should be. With her.

"Well I have something to say to you. What the hell are you even doing here? And why are you sniffing around Rachel? She wants nothing to do with you!"

"No, you want her to have nothing to do with me" Jesse all but snarled, "Rachel and I had talked about the past, I had apologized. We were, no, we ARE fine. It's you who has the problem here. And I fail to see what business it is of yours to get involved in anything Rachel or myself choose to do!"

"Me and Rach may not be together anymore but I still care about her! Which is more than I can say for you! You shouldn't even touch her, she's to good for you."

"Well duh." Jesse snorted. Finn looked on, anger, frustration and confusion evident on his features. "I already know I'm not good enough for Rachel, no one will ever be good enough for Rachel. She's Rachel."

Still looking confused Finn mumbled out, "Well Rachel and I were good together."

Looking at him condescendingly Jesse couldn't help but smirk. "And that just proves you aren't good enough for her. With Rachel, I always tried harder, to better myself. Not because she demands perfection but because she makes me want to be good enough for her. The fact that you can sleep with someone else, regardless of your relationship status Hudson, and then lie to her about it proves you don't care as much as you think you do. At least in regards to her feeling."

Looking flustered Finn snapped at him and Jesse noted how his hand was curling into a fist. "It wasn't like that, not that THAT is any of your business. Rachel was out having sex with you! Well, she told me she was and then later she told me she didn't…but that's not the point. She cheated on me with Puckerman. I couldn't take her back after that!"

"Cheated? Like you did with Rachel on Quinn? Like you did on your friend Sam with Quinn? Hmm? Pot, Kettle, Black, dickwad. You are a crock of shit. Even I notice how much it hurts Rachel to look at you, you're such a hypocrite! Honestly you are so full of crap!" Finn squared up to him and Jesse didn't back down. So this time, when Finn took a swing and there was nobody around to stop him Jesse didn't think twice before punching the loser back.

"She'll always love me you know?" Finn spat hatefully.

"I'm sure she will, but can you be certain?"

"What the hell are you even talking about?"

"How long did you wait until after I had left to tell Rachel you loved her? A week? Two weeks?"

"That's none of your business traitor!"

"How long do you have to wait for her to say it back?" Finn paled considerably. "Weeks? Months? Do you know Rachel told me she loved me exactly a month after we met? That even after I left and went back to Vocal Adrenaline and she watched us perform she texted me to say that she understood and she still loved me?"

"But you egged her!"

"It was before the egging true enough…But don't you get it? If she was as deeply, hopelessly in love with you as you thought why was she so quick to let me into her heart in the first place? Have you ever thought about that?"

"You're talking out your ass. I'm not in love with Rachel anymore, I'm with Quinn. I just don't like seeing you around her."

"That's funny. You don't like seeing me around her? Why? Am I a bad influence on her? If I'm bad for Rachel, then fuck, you're toxic."

"Huh?"

"I hurt Rachel, I acknowledged, accepted and apologized for that. You, you hurt her all the time, intentionally and unintentionally. You degraded her, with your pathetic name calling, allowing others to verbally attack her and you would laugh with them. You're poisonous for her! Do you know why that Karofsky guy glared at me when I walked in?

"Because you're an ass?"

"Because, when Rachel was my girlfriend and he threw a slushy at her I punched the douche into next week. He would have had a concussion if Rachel hadn't told me to stop. Do you not see how tiny she is? How she needs protection and care and not hateful remarks and putdowns? You don't think I'm good for Rachel, but I make her better. I stand up for her, I would do anything for her. Because unlike you I love her. I loved her enough to walk away even though I hated to because I felt that in giving Rachel the chance to form the relationship she craves with her mother I was helping her. I loved her enough to put my own wants and needs to the side and try and give her everything she ever wanted."

Finn glared at him. "You didn't love her, your relationship was fake and we all know it!"

Jesse's lips twitched. "And what makes you think that?"

"Rachel told me herself, you guys never had sex."

Jesses eyes were full of deviousness and mischief. "No we didn't. But just because Rachel wasn't ready for sex doesn't mean she wasn't ready for other things." He merely raised an eyebrow as the pieces clicked into place for Finn.

"You're a liar. Rachel's not like that. I've went out with her too. I know myself for a fact you're lying now I couldn't even get passed second base."

Jesse's other eyebrow raised up too and his smirk changed into a fully fledged smile. "Why would I lie about that? I'll never tell anyone exactly what I and Rachel got up to in her bedroom…and my bedroom…and my car…and the choir room…both choirs in fact now that I think on it. But just because she didn't trust you with her heart or her body doesn't mean it's the same for me."

Finn's nostrils flared and Jesse tilted his head to look at him clearly. Sure he was tall, good looking, handsome even. But from there on in Jesse was lost, people often said that he was shallow but Finn Hudson made Jesse look as deep as the ocean. Finn had a childlike mind, annoying in it's naivety rather than endearing. He was selfish, sulked if he didn't get his own way and could be incredibly spiteful when he wanted to be. "Rachel wouldn't do that with you."

"Is that what annoys you Finn? The fact that for a lot of things, I was Rachel's first and not you? Does that rub you up the wrong way? The fact that we've belonged to each other in ways that you never have been able to? That I've seen parts of Rachel that she would never display to the likes of you?" Jesse's tone was getting quieter as he became lost in his memories. "I've seen all of Rachel, her body and her mind. And I loved every inch of both. The quirks and traits that you find obnoxious, I loved and cherished because I loved her because of not only her good qualities but her faults too, rather than in spite of them. Does that kill you Finn? That while you may have been Rachels' first crush I was her first love?" He couldn't help but goad the boy, Finn Hudson really did bring out the worst in him and that was saying something after the years of fighting and ruthless competition at Vocal Adrenaline

"Fuck you St. James. You are nothing but a liar and a traitor. Rachel wants nothing to do with you, I want nothing to do with you. Our glee club wants nothing to do with you. So fuck off back to where ever you came from and leave us the hell alone." And at this Jesse couldn't help but laugh.

"Dude, that isn't for you to decide now. Rachel has accepted me back into her life and I intend on staying here for as long as she wants me. This is nothing to do with you and your petty glee club drama. When I went back to VA you guys didn't even have a set list, so the concept of you calling me a traitor honestly leaves me bewildered. The only one who I even hurt was Rachel, and guess what? She forgave me! So get off your high horse you sanctimonious little prick!" Jesse stopped to take a breath. When he went to launch himself at the gangly freak in front of him he was stopped by a sharp tugging at his jacket , turning he looked down to see Sylvester's little helper. "Yes Becky?" he asked kindly.

Becky blushed and Jesse winked at her. "Coach said you can come back now if you've cooled off." Jesse breathed a sigh of relief, 'perhaps tonight was still salvageable!'

Turning sharply, he flipped Finn the bird and departed with a "Later douche!"

Walking after Becky he called out for her to stop and when he managed to catch up with her, he offered her his arm. "So Becky? Are you enjoying the prom?"

Depositing Becky back with her date Jesse observed the crowd looking for the petit brunette who he just knew was about to rip him open a new one. As if feeling her eyes buring into him Jesse turns his head a fraction to see Rachel glaring at him from a few feet away. Looking thoroughly chastised Jesse walks towards her. "I'm sorry Rachel, I don't know why I let him get to me."

"This is my prom Jesse, when you asked me to go I just knew there was going to be trouble!" She stared at him before taking a deep breathe and allowing the tension to leave her body. She cupped his jaw in her small hand and turned his face from side to side. "Did he hurt you?"

Jesse groaned. "Way to emasculate me Rachel, of course the golly green giant didn't hurt me. Though if he throws a punch at me again I'm not going to hold myself back."

"Yes you will." Rachel stated confidently.

"Oh? And why is that?" Jesse snapped at the idea of her taking Finn's side when clearly the boy came out of nowhere and started with his irrational claim over Rachel.

"You'll not be hitting anyone if you're expecting to take me out again, or take me home tonight, or kiss me later if I feel like it." Rachel looked at him from the corner of her eye, her lips twitching to smile.

Jesse grabbed her around the waist and laughed. "Oh! So that's how it is?"

Rachel screeched at the feel of his fingers ghosting over her ribs and she laughed freely as she tried to escape his knowledgeable fingers. Joy radiated between the pair and Jesse couldn't help but join in on her laughter. He hugged her close and inhaled the unique scent that was all Rachel and pressed a kiss into her hair before leaning down and touching his forehead to hers. "I really am sorry for fighting with Finn Rachl" He whispered. "I never came here with the intention of ruining your night. I've had a pretty shitty time of it lately. And you're the one good thing that's happened to me in a while and I'm lucky you forgave me so easily, I would never purposely set out to abuse the trust you've given me again."

Rachel nodded at him solemnly. "I promise to help whatever way I can, in helping you get back on your feet. So college wasn't for you Jesse, that doesn't mean that we aren't eventually going to star opposite each other someday on Broadway."

"It's an inevitability." Jesse continued and Rachel nodded before hugging him close. Drawing back she smiled up at him.

"So are we going to get our pictures taken? Or am I going to have to go up there by myself hmm?" Jesses' reply was to link their fingers together in a move that was familiar to the both of them, like putting on a fitted glove, and dragging her towards the photographer with joy and laughter evident in both their eyes.

Rachel laughed uproariously when Jesse swept her up into his arms. Giggling she slapped his chest. "Put me down!"

"You're the one who's been complaining for the last 15 minutes about how sore your feet are in those shoes. I'm simply taking the load off so to speak." He winked at her and swung around.

"Merecedes? Sam? Would you guys like a ride wherever you're going? Party? Home?" Jesse asked earnestly.

Merecedes looked at him contemplatively, her eyes flickering between Jesse and Rachel whom had now nestled her head into the crook of his neck and was smiling gently with her eyes closed. Sam too couldn't help but stare at the pair. He had honestly thought Rachel and Finn were end game, but after the whole love hexagon of the past few months he realized that the Rachel he ahd come to know was but a tenth of the real person. He had heard that last year she had a messy break up and that she hadn't been quite the sme since. But watching the two of them together. They complimented each other. Jesse and Rachel were both obnoxious, dramatic and egotistical but as Sam watched them interact he could see that were Jesse would usually grace someone with callous words and a sneer, Rachel received nothing more than a soft laugh and a head shake. When Rachel talked away about whatever thoughts were traveling through her mind, Jesse watched rapturously whereas Finn would usually roll his eyes and ignore Rachel And the way they touched each other, like it was unnatural for them not to be completely at ease with each other. For two extremely judgmental people, they never seemed to find flaws in each other.

"If you don't mind, I think it would be a good idea if we popped by Kurt's house to see how he's feeling after the whole Prom Queen dramatics. Would you mind?" Merecedes asked cautiously.

Jesse nodded with ease. "Sure, it's no problem. I hope you don't mind that I won't be joining you guys. I don't think Kurt would really want me there, and niether would his step brother."

Merecedes stifled a laugh. "I think I understand why that would be uncomfortable."

The group of four walked towards the bottle green Range Rover. Rachel looked up at Jesse. "I forgot to ask earlier but I thought your Range Rover was Black?"

"It was. This was the one they gave me for winning Nationals for the fourth time consecutively. Someone told me I needed to break out fo the black phase." Jesse looked at her pointedly. Handing Rachel his keys he allowed her to unlock the car from the confines of his arm and he maneuvered himself to open the door before dropping her into the seat. Holding her shoes in her lap Rachel rolled her eyes at him before whispering a quiet "Thanks" and pressing her lips to his quickly, fleetingly.

Jesse eyed her heatedly before closing her door and walking round to the drivers seat. Feeling the others watching them Jesse tried his best to engage all of them in conversation. He was in the process of changing gears when Rachel's hand covered his own and pushed the gear stick into 4th gear. Jesse looked at her strangely.

"That was the right gear. Your car's an automatic. Since when can you drive stick?"

Rachel grinned at him. "You were gone for a year Jesse. But my car broke down a few months ago and I had to borrow Daddy's. And that's the story of how I learned to drive stick."

Jesse caught her eyes and whispered quietly, "I think it's really hot." Rachel's only response was to squeeze the hand that was under her own.

Slowing to a stop outside Kurt's house Sam and Merecedes gave their thanks to Jesse and Jesse couldn't help but nod and tell them it was no problem. Merecedes stopped half way up the path. "Are you coing Rachel? Or are you going to head on home? I'm sure Kurt won't mind either way."

Rachel and Merecedes shared a look before Rachel shook her head. "No, Jesse and I are going to go home, I'm tired. Will you tell Kurt I'll ring him in the morning? Love you guys!"

Merecedes nodded in turn and sauntered up the narrow path with Sam a few steps behind her waving at the now retreating car.

The ride back to Rachel's was silent. Both taking comfort in just being in the others company. It had been so long. Parking up Jesse walked around his car to help Rachel climb down in her heels before they walked quickly through the now chilly night up to her front door. Rachel turned abruptly and Jesse couldn't prevent himself from banging into her. His hand shot out to lean on the door and prevent him from squishing Rachel but he couldn't help but notice how their bodies were molded together and noted with delight the beginnings of a hickey on the side of her neck were he had nuzzled earlier in the night. The air between them sizzled and neither Rachel nor Jesse knew who moved first but soon enough they were grasping at each other as their mouths fused together.

Jesse easily dominated the kiss, his hands winding into her hair and pulling it slightly causing Rachel to gasp and allowing Jesse's tongue to slip inside. Jesse smiled into the kiss as he ran him tongue along her teeth causing Rachel to laugh into the kiss. They kissed each other with the ease of familiarity and enjoyed reacquainting their mouths with each other, pulling out little moves that would cause them to laugh or moan at the sensation. Pulling away reluctantly Jesse pressed one, two, three kisses to Rachel's now lip gloss free slightly swollen lips.

"I'm going to go home. Before I end up defiling you on the doorstep, something you aren't ready for. And something I don't think your dad's will appreciate." He breathed out trying to get his heartbeat under control. An impossible task in the presence of Rachel Berry.

Rachel snorted and patted at his curls before pulling him down for another light kiss. "I'm glad you came back Jesse. That you came back to me."

Tugging her into his arms Jesse closed his eyes and whispered a soft, "Me too, Rach. Me too."

I've never truly loved 'Till you put your arms around me…and I'm home.