Title: When the Sun Goes Down, Ch. 1

Author: Bladed Darkness

Category: Glee

Summary: Ignores characters and events of Season Two and beyond. (Did I really start this that long ago?)

Pairings: Past Faberry, with a dash of present Faberry goodness.

Length: ~3000

Rating: T

Song: Make Me Wanna Die by The Pretty Reckless.

A/N: This can be seen as a sequel to The (Super)Natural Release, but it's really not. Rachel's implications follow relatively closely along the lines of what occurred in that story, to a point, just with an oblivious and uninvolved Puck, I suppose.

When Puck told Kurt that he was planning a New Directions get-together-slash-five-year-reunion and would like Kurt to contact all the former members, Kurt was most certainly not aware that the address Puck told him to send to everyone was for a bar about two hours outside of Lima, in what was practically a three building town.

A hotel, a grocery store, and a bar. That's it. Kurt had seen ghost towns with more life than this place. Actual life, not of the haunted variety.

That didn't stop the bar from being packed with people from the surrounding area though, apparently, seeing as the ten members of New Directions already in attendance were having trouble navigating through the crowd of semi-drunk swaying bodies, mostly around their age, who were fixated on the stage in the corner.

It was relatively easy to get most of the members of New Directions to agree to meet this close to Lima, which surprised Kurt. Everybody, it seemed, talked about getting out of the hellhole, succeeded, but were all secretly looking for a reason to visit.

Obviously, since Puck orchestrated the thing, he had no problem with flying in from San Diego. And since he roped Kurt into helping, Kurt, along with Mercedes, had flown in from New York. Finn drove up from Nebraska (Kurt was definitely going to ask what the hell Finn was doing there), while Mike and Matt, along with Santana and Brittany had all caught a flight together from Los Angeles (Kurt wasn't entirely sure how Brittany had convinced Santana to come, since the first time he brought it up to Santana, he got the ever eloquent brunette's typical response of "Fuck no!" before she hung up on him).

Tina had been one of the last to arrive, based on the schedule Kurt had worked out, driving up with Artie from Florida.

Quinn had been the last to respond, but she had informed them that she was coming, also from New York, and 'bringing along a surprise'. Kurt was halfway giddy with anticipation. The other half was dreading that Quinn's surprise would be something with as much impact as Babygate.

Rachel hadn't replied.

Kurt worried about that the most. Both he and Mercedes had combed New York repeatedly after college started, looking for the petite diva with the big voice. None of their searches had turned up successful. In fact, as he brought it up to the others, and near as everyone could tell, their star brunette dropped off the face of the earth following graduation; sometime in between the after-graduation party and classes starting in the fall, no one had seen her. Nobody had any real recollection of seeing her that summer either.

Quinn was the topic of debate at the current moment, however. As much as (most of) New Directions had kept in contact after leaving high school, none had seen the blonde in the flesh since then.

"Kurt! When's my baby mama supposed to get here?" Puck groused, nursing a beer and snorting as some unfortunate soul was shoved onto the stage. Though once the man started singing, Puck decided he was the unlucky one and took a deep swig of his mug.

Kurt sighed. "I told you. Later."

"Dude, why couldn't she just take a plane with you two?"

"Puck, we didn't even know the girl was in the same city as us! I'm tempted to beat her ass for not telling us that." Mercedes replied, rolling her eyes at the morose look on the mohawked boy's face.

"Yeah, yeah. So where's Berry? Or is she too high and mighty to join us in a little Lima Loser fest?" asked Santana, drumming her nails against the table top and just looking bored in general, as if she didn't really care for an answer.

Puck shrugged. "Kurt said she never called him back."

The Latina snorted. "Bitch." Finn shifted uncomfortably in his seat, turning to look out one of the darkened windows to the deserted street outside. Well, deserted of people.

"Uh guys? Isn't it a little weird that a bar is so, I don't know, popular, in the middle of nowhere? Like, there's no people outside. Just tons of cars. And this place is packed."

"Finn has a point," Mike started, "There's nothing interesting even close to here, so why does this place get so much business?"

Eyes turned to Puck. He threw his arms up in the air. "Look, I don't know, alright? I picked the place because it had pretty good reviews and was close enough to Lima that we could visit home without actually having to stay in that shithole if we had to. There's some other towns that are just as close to this place as Lima is, so we can nab a hotel or something there if the one here is a bust."

Before any possible arguments could escalate, Finn caught a flash of blonde over a white sweater out the window. "Uh guys, Quinn's here." He frowned in confusion as he watched Quinn cross over to the passenger side of her car and opened the door.

"What is she doing?" asked Brittany as Quinn put out her hand. A collective gasp went through the group as a smaller, tan hand intertwined fingers with the pale digits of the ex-cheerleader before a petite figure stepped out, dark hair curling out around her shoulders and cascading softly down her back.

"Is that..."

"No freaking way." Surprisingly, that was from the still slightly shy Tina.

"There's no way..."

"... couldn't possibly..."

"Ladies and gentlemen," started Kurt, hip cocked to the side as his finger pointed lazily out the window, "I do believe Miss Rachel Berry has arrived. And escorted by our lovely Lady Fabray, no less."

Even Kurt was a bit taken aback when Quinn twisted the hand in hers and kissed the tiny palm before leading the way towards the bar, however.

Santana collapsed back into her seat, fumbling for her beer a moment later. "Well, fuck me."

Mercedes worked her jaw for a few seconds, before taking in the changing scene of a smiling Quinn gazing adoringly behind her at the demure brunette. "Aw hell, that's not normal."

Only Brittany was bouncing around in her seat, excited and taking in stride this latest development. "Guys, it's Rachel! She's here!"

As the pair stepped into the bar, however, one thing became perfectly clear.

The small brunette woman with Quinn Fabray was definitely not Rachel Berry.

"The hell?"Matt blurted, unknowingly vocalizing the uniform thread most of New Directions was stuck on as they took in Quinn's companion.

The brunette clasping Quinn's hand wasn't just petite in comparison with Finn, like most of them were; she was tiny, even when standing next to the blonde.

Which was part of the reason everyone was doing a double-take.

"She's even got the damn nose," whispered Santana. The short woman may not have been Rachel Berry, but she sure was a remarkable likeness to the absent diva, from the dark curls to the wide, innocent eyes.

The other half of everyone's amazement was the fact that Quinn Fabray seemed to be quite cozy with a female. One that resembled Rachel Berry.

Quinn looked around the bar for a few moments before spotting the group. A grin split across her face, and she turned to whisper to her partner before moving in their direction, still clutching the girl's hand.

"Hey," the smiling blonde called as she reached the corner New Directions had commandeered.

Kurt recovered first. "Quinn, sweetie, I see your taste in fashion is as impeccable as ever," he noted with approval. Underneath her white cardigan, the ex-cheerleader was wearing a sleek black dress with modest heels. He turned a critical eye to the quiet woman at her side, noting approvingly the matching emerald dress, coupled with slightly higher heels. "And who's this?"

Quinn beamed, and Puck swore that he had seen spotlights that projected less illumination than the blonde did in that moment. Hell, Berry looked like a flicker compared to the grin gracing Quinn's lips. He idly noted that the god-awful man singing before had finally retreated, and those closest to the stage were hooting in appreciation.

"Guys, this is my girlfriend, Michelle. Michelle, may I present to you, New Directions," stated Quinn proudly, looking over her longtime friends. Then she amended, "Well, most of New Directions. Where's Rachel?"

Take me I'm alive
Never was a girl with a wicked mind
But everything was better when the sun goes down

"Rachel's right there," Brittany pointed out.

"No, Britt, that's Quinn's girlfriend," corrected Santana gently.

"Not her. That's Rachel, up on stage."

I had everything
Opportunities for eternity
And I couldn't long to the night
Your eyes, your eyes
I can see in your eyes
Your eyes

With shattering clarity, everyone else suddenly became once again of their surroundings and the sultry, low tones permeating the air.

"Holy shit," Puck breathed as Quinn and the newcomer turned around. For the rest of New Directions, the physical resemblance between Rachel and Quinn's girlfriend was driven home as they finally looked onstage.

You make me wanna die
I'll never be good enough
You make me wanna die
And everything you love will burn up in the light
Every time I look inside your eyes
Make me wanna die

Puck took in the full pouty lips, painted dark red, that almost seemed to caress the microphone, first. Next were the smoldering dark eyes, firmly encased in smoky mascara and long, tumbling locks that curled teasingly along the brunette's torso. If it wasn't for the power in the voice and the undeniably petite stature, Puck wouldn't have believed that was Rachel Berry up there, radiating sex appeal.

The singer suddenly looked over at their corner, and her eyes flashed in recognition before a smirk crossed her lips. Winking, she tilted her head back slowly, singing the next verse.

Taste me, drink my soul
Show me all the things that I shouldn't know
And there's a new moon on the rise

"Fuck," Puck groaned, mesmerized.

"That's pretty hot," agreed Brittany, blinking slowly, not looking at the others.

"I thought you said she never replied, Hummel!"

"Look, Puckerman, she didn't."

"Well then, how the hell did she know where we were?" Kurt's mouth worked uselessly for a few moments before he composed himself.

"I don't know."

"I must admit, I'm quite impressed you found me," came the familiar voice, and they looked up. Rachel, song long finished, stood before them. She cast a cool eye at the group, quirking an eyebrow at the brunette attached to Quinn. "Hello," Rachel said, smiling at her.

"Excuse me for a moment," murmured Michelle as she adjusted her purse, releasing Quinn's hand and heading for the restroom. Rachel watched her with an amused smile before turning back to her former teammates.

Finn cleared his throat, before pulling the singer in for an awkward hug. "Hey Rach."

She nodded at him after returning the embrace. "Finn."

"Diva, I must say, your wardrobe has certainly improved. It's almost tasteful," commented Kurt.

"Berry?" Santana asked. "What do you mean 'we found you'?"

"Well, you're all here, aren't you? I certainly never expected anybody to return this close to Lima, so I wasn't quite intending to run into everyone tonight." The Latina frowned; there was something decidedly un-Berry about that response. It wasn't quite long and convoluted enough to belong to the shorter brunette.

"A better question would be how you knew we were here, Berry, considering you never returned our calls," growled Puck, scowling, feeling personally insulted that this older Rachel seemed to have lost the manners high-school Rachel would have lectured them, particularly him, on. "It's too much of a coincidence that you just happen to return to Lima at the same time we have this get-together, yet know nothing about it."

Rachel gave him a slow grin and a mischievous look. It gave Rachel an almost alien appearance. "It's hard to return when you never left, Noah." She gestured out over the bar. "I may have left Lima, but this is my stage."

Santana wasn't quite sure she had heard right. Did Rachel Berry just say that she willingly stayed in Ohio? "The fuck, Berry?"

"Hmm?"

"Girl, do not tell me this is the furthest you've been from Lima since we graduated, or we're gonna have problems," threatened Mercedes, going so far as to shake her fist at the miniature diva.

"Of course not," replied Rachel, offended. "I go to Columbus once or twice a week when I want to experience something a bit more."

"Rach," Finn started, "what about New York?" The Rachel Berry they all knew, right up until graduation, told everyone that would listen – and those that wouldn't – that she was going to make it big on the Broadway stage. Comparing that Rachel to this one that seemed so content singing in a hole-in-the-wall bar just seemed impossible. The two appeared to be two different people.

Rachel shrugged. "I had some new realities to face after graduation. One of them included staying here. I had to get out of Lima though. That place is toxic." She slid onto one of the empty chairs around the table before waving over a man carrying a glass, which she took from him. "Thanks Pete." After a sip, she paused. "So," Rachel drawled, turning to look at Quinn, "who's the newbie?"

Quinn beamed, but before she could open her mouth, a head full of dark curls was in front of her. "Sorry, there was a line."

Puck watched as Michelle took in Rachel and how her eyes narrowed, darting from Rachel to Quinn then back to Rachel. Obviously, she was thinking something similar to what the rest of New Directions was; did Quinn intentionally date someone that physically seemed to resemble Rachel? Surely she had to notice the resemblance.

"Michelle," the girl introduced, sticking her hand out for Rachel to shake.

"Rachel Berry," replied Rachel, reaching out to return the gesture.

Puck wasn't naturally an observant guy, and maybe it was his interest in seeing how this would play out for his baby mama – he tended to think of it as a more of, once, always, kind of deal, no matter how much Quinn hated the nickname – that caused him to pay close attention, or some long-forgotten protective streak for Rachel that he never shook after that week of, well, making out and their slowly formed, tentative friendship from junior and senior year. Regardless, he was surprised when Rachel let out a soft, almost undetectable hiss and quickly let go of Michelle's hand.

"Excuse me for a minute," Rachel said suddenly, standing up abruptly before heading towards the bathrooms.

Puck was pretty sure he was the only one that noticed the shiny red irritated skin on Rachel's palm. And that, coupled with the smirk Michelle aimed at Rachel's back, made him wary.

So he was totally not down with the fact that Michelle planted herself in Quinn's lap after Rachel ran off, but he knew not to complain right then. Finn seemed a bit put off as well, but Puck wasn't sure if that's because Rachel stuck around in Ohio or because of the drama Quinn's girlfriend is likely to cause. He swears he can already hear Kurt and Mercedes buzzing about it.

Rachel soon returned, bandage placed cleverly over palm.

"I don't think I understand, diva? Why on earth would you stick around in Ohio?" Kurt asks.

"I simply didn't want to go anywhere else, Kurt."

The fashionable boy points at Rachel, leaning forward over the table. "You, Miss Rachel Berry, are a liar. A damn good actress, which apparently has turned you into a better liar, but there's no way you actually want to stay here."

Rachel shrugs again. "It's easy in Ohio. People don't ask questions and don't expect answers." She takes another sip from her glass, looking almost bored with the conversation.

Puck stretches an arm around her. "Well then, Berry, how about I ask you a question?"

She rolls her eyes. "If it's about sex, Noah, the answer is no."

"Oh come on, Rachel, you're in the middle of nowhere, there's no way you can be taking care of that regularly."

That predatory smirk returns to Rachel's face, and damn if he doesn't wonder where she learned it, because it's sexy as hell and sultry and looks like it belongs more on Santana's face than Rachel's. "Trust me, my needs are met more than satisfactorily, Noah." Her eyes slide past him to alight on Quinn once more. "What about you, Quinn? Are you satisfied?" The word drips off her tongue, pure sin.

Even Finn looks interested in the answer.

"I'm going to go order a drink," the blonde responds, kissing her girlfriend on the cheek. "Do you want anything, baby?"

The challenging look on the new brunette's face is unsettling, and Puck feels Mike shift in his seat next to him. "How about I have what Rachel had?"

Rachel's lips curl up and her teeth glint surprisingly white in the dim bar as she shoots Quinn a pointed look. "Don't you already?"

Immediately, Quinn's face hardens and she stalks through the thinning crowd.

Santana hisses in his ear. "Why didn't I know Berry and Fabray banged?" She slaps him across the arm for good measure.

"Shit, I didn't know either, okay?"