A/N Hello everyone! This is the first story I have ever written, so I hope you all like it. Please let me know what you think. :) And let me know if you would like for me to continue it.
Disclaimer: I don't own Glee or these amazing characters. They are property of Ryan Murphy and Fox.
Huddled in a corner of the wagon, covered in all her blankets and surrounded by all the possessions she owned, she could hear the rain crashing on the canvas cover. The rain drops outside mirrored the tears running down her face. That morning Rachel St. James had become a widow. Nineteen-years-old and a widow. And to make matters worse, as if they could possibly get any worse, she was a stranger in a new town. She was all alone.
She had received the news that Jesse was dead by the same man who had directed them to this still unclaimed land. During their first night in their new home, one of their horses had gotten loose and wandered off. When Jesse noticed it was missing that morning, he went in search of it. He had kissed her gently on the cheek and told her to go back to sleep, she needed as much rest as she could get for her and the baby on the way. She had told him not to fuss over her, she was only two months along and she had plenty of time to rest. But she listened to him anyways. He reassured her he would be back as soon as he found that "darned" horse.
Rachel awoke a few hours later with the horrible news thrown at her. Everything the man had told her was now a jumble of words in her head. Her husband was thrown off the horse… hit his head on a rock… died on impact. They would bury Jesse early the next day. The last image running through Rachel's mind before she drifted off to sleep again from the day's exhaustion was Jesse's body being taken away.
How he had convinced her to move out West, she would never know. It might have been the excitement in his voice or the anticipation that filled his eyes for something new, an adventure. An adventure they would go on together. She didn't think it was such a good idea at first but she eventually gave in and soon enough they were on their way to a new world and a new life. She would be happy as long as she was beside the man she loved. Of course she would miss her beloved New York and her family; but Jesse was her life now, wherever he went, she would follow.
But here she was now, standing with a group of strangers watching her husband being lowered to the ground. She couldn't concentrate on the words being spoken by the parson. All she saw were his lips moving and the occasional glances of sympathy directed towards her. Rachel was relieved when everyone had gone. Some of the women had gone up to her before leaving to let her know she was more than welcome to stay at their place. She just thanked them and let them know she would spend another night in her wagon and she would figure out what she would do later.
All she wanted to do now was breakdown. And Rachel did just that. She collapsed on Jesse's grave and cried until she could no longer breathe. It was raining again and she was soaked but she didn't care. She was heartbroken. She'd just lost the only man she had ever loved. Then she was angry. How could Jesse do this to her? How could he just leave her here in the middle of nowhere? Panic took over her then. What was she going to do now? She had a baby growing inside her and she had no idea what she was going to do.
So many emotions where flowing in and out of her that she didn't see him approach her. It was only when he cleared his throat that she looked up. He knelt down next to her but didn't say a word. All Rachel wanted was for him to go away. It took him awhile before he spoke.
"I'm sorry about your loss." he said. "I'm Finn Hudson and I know what I'm about to ask of you might be inappropriate but I see no way around the matter. You and me, we need each other." Rachel was about to protest when Finn spoke up again. "Please, just let me finish. I'm being rational here. You just lost your husband and have no place to go and you can't stay in that wagon forever. You can't head back East now since there won't be any wagon trains going that way until spring." Rachel listened as he kept on talking. "I have a little one and she needs a mama. The way I see it, if we get married we'd be helping one another out. Like I told you, we need each other. The reason I'm telling you this now is because the parson leaves tomorrow so we would have to do this today. I'll let you think it over for a while." Rachel couldn't believe what this man had just proposed to her. How dare he ask her such a thing! She would rather be dead than marry him! He spoke one last time before he walked away. "All I'm asking is that you be my little one's mama. And when spring rolls around I'll pay for your fare back East. I have one condition though, that you take my daughter with you. I don't want her to grow up without a mama. That's all I ask." Rachel was left standing there with Finn's words echoing in her mind.
She hated Jesse for leaving her in this predicament. She hated Finn for making such a proposition. But most of all she hated herself because she knew he was right. They both needed of each other. She hated that she needed him. Rachel got up from where she was and walked over to Finn. She couldn't believe the words that were coming out of her mouth. "Alright, I'll do it. I'll be a mama to your daughter."