So, I will probably eventually write a prologue to this story. There will be flashback's though. This story very much follows the plot of the show, but how it should have been written :) and would have been written if I owned glee. Which I obviously do not. Set during the end of season 2. And I would suggest listening to the songs used in the stories...because they are a big reason why I wrote the story in the first place. Anyway, enjoy.

Rachel stood in the wings of the stage anxiously rubbing her fingers together. She wasn't nervous to sing. No, that wasn't it. She craved competition and the absolute thrill it ignited in her body as her lungs carried her voice higher and farther, as if for just three minutes she was not Rachel Berry from Lima, Ohio. She was Betty Lapone, Tori Amos, Barbra Streisand: she was amazing. She was admired and for those three minutes, accepted for everything she was. Hell, she was envied for everything she was. For those shining moments, Rachel Barbra Berry was free from what her peer's thought, how the small minded folk of Lima, Ohio viewed her and her beliefs, how anyone may view her and her beliefs. For those moments, they were hanging on every note, every word, and every breath. She could pour her heart and soul into her voice, and for those moments, she was accepted.

She wanted this, the chance to be the soloist at Nationals, in New York, where maybe one day all this would be her life. Where there would be no more worrying about freezing corn syrup filled, artificially flavored wakeup call splashing over her face. Just bring lights and flashes of the paparazzi just trying to grab a still form of her, for people to gaze at worldwide.

Yes she knew she was romanticizing things a little, but she had to imagine that things there had to be easier than McKinley High.

Yes, Rachel Berry wanted this and God help her if Mercedes Jones, Kurt Hummel, or Santana Lopez would stand in her way. They didn't want it as badly. Sure they wanted the fame and the glory, but Rachel needed it. If her life was at all worth living, she absolutely needed this.

If this past year was anything to go by, there wasn't much left at McKinley High for Rachel Berry anymore. Well sure, there were some things, but nothing that was hers. But this solo, the opportunity to sing at Nationals, and win nationals, that was still here for her.

So when her name was called, she took in a deep breath and walked into the semi-blinding lights of the stage.

As she walked towards center stage she had to admit that perhaps that was one of her favorite qualities of a life on stage. She couldn't see who she was singing to, couldn't see who was out there to witness the rawest side of her. It was just her unleashing her truest emotion to whoever showed up. It also meant that she couldn't see the awe on the faces of her audience, but she wouldn't see the possible rejection either. She was especially thankful for it now. She doubted she could sing this song under any other circumstances.

For that thought she mentally berated herself, it isn't as if she would come to watch you sing… but in the end she preferred to not have to face anyone after this was over.

She had chosen this song for two reasons: it allowed her to immerse herself in the song to create a spectacular performance and if she didn't release what she was feeling, she may just explode. This at least was a productive way of dealing with everything that had happened as of late.

Rachel turned to the front of the stage and took a deep and steady breath. She was so caught up in her own thoughts that she barely registered the velvety voice of Jessie St. James.

"Rachel, what will you be singing for us today."

"Um, My Man, by the one and only Barbra." Rachel ushered out into the microphone.

"Excellent choice Rachel," the tone of his voice was a warning for his next comment, dripping with haughtiness. "Do you have a particular inspiration for this song?"

Rachel swallowed as silently as possible as her eyes fluttered closed subconsiously. Of course there was. Of course she had inspiration. Inspiration that filled her so completely that it seemed to tear through the seams of her chest uncontrollably, tossing her heart into her throat every time she faced the intensity of those hazel eyes that held flecks of gold in just the right light. Inspiration that sent tremors through her limbs, rendering them useless if they just so happened to brush against flawless porcelain skin. Inspiration that sent her into a different world when that soft yet raspy voice flooded her consciousness.

That inspiration that remained thudding in her chest, held the power to immobilize her if even for a second, every time she caught a glimpse of blond hair.

That inspiration that thudded in her chest now.

Rachel let a slight bitter smile quirk her lips before shaking her head simply.

"No, no one in particular."

She could almost hear the dejection in Jessie's voice, but none of that mattered.

"Alright, we look forward to your performance."

Rachel nodded and the lights all shut off except for the one illuminating her body. The soft scale of the piano and harp led her into the song and she allowed herself to be swept away by the feelings that longed to be set free.

"Oh my man I love him so,

He'll never know

All my life is just despair,

But I don't care.

When he takes me in his arms..

The world, is brighter…

Alright.

What's the difference if I say…I'll go away

When I know I'll come back – on my knees some day

For whatever my man is,

I am his, forever more

The accompaniment drove her onwards, picking up the emotion in her voice as she allowed it to take her further into the scene playing in her mind. Leaving behind the bitter sadness that cracked more than just her voice and surrendered to the words of the song, the words that she wished the blond would hear.

Oh my man I love him so

He'll never know

Wishing Quinn could understand.

All my life is just despair, but I don't care

Hear the raw feeling in her voice, that raw need that Quinn pulled out of her so unwillingly.

When he takes me in his arms

As if the blond simply twirled her fingers, commanding unbreakable strings tied to Rachel's very being, tugging her will in any way she desired. Toying with her. Torturing her in such sweet bliss. Did the girl even know?

The world is bright

Alright
surrendered so completely,

What's the difference if I say, I'll go away

When I know I'll come back on my knees someday

so terrifyingly easily, so ridiculously content to follow

For whatever my man is

I am his

Absolutely helpless to her own personal fixation that was Quinn Fabray.

Forever more.

The sound of clapping in the distance breeched her consciousness as a hot tear made a fresh path down her cheek. She tried to blink herself back into reality, to pull herself out of her personal montage of Quinn memories. The thought caught in her throat; they were only memories, nothing more. She was breathing unsteadily and she couldn't be sure if her feet were still planted on the ground. It took every ounce of composure she'd trained herself to have to crack a megawatt smile before curtsying and tearing off the stage as the emotions she'd just released from the top of her lungs began to crash down around her.

Finn Hudson had stood in the middle of the aisle as Rachel delivered her performance. His face seemed stuck in a goofy lopsided grin as he watched his ex-girlfriend sing. How had he not known? It was impossible that he hadn't known that Rachel loved him that much. Sure, he didn't pretend to know everything, but that performance, It was so beyond anything he knew the girl had felt for him. It was so beyond, well anything he had ever experienced. His heart was literally gripped in those tiny delicate hands as his ex-girlfriend sang.

He'd seen the longing looks, sure. When she'd been chasing after him when he was with Quinn, he'd seen that pained look in her eyes. It had made him sad at the time. He didn't ever want Rachel to feel so sad. He really did feel attached to the girl. He felt happy when she was happy and he felt sad when she was sad, but whatever she was feeling now…he couldn't be sure. It was such an intense longing. It kind of shocked him, but in a good way.

In the best way he could describe, it seemed like Rachel was trying to project her words, - No it was so much more than that. He felt something, he wasn't sure what, but something warm and so strong it seemed to phase past him. It seemed as if Rachel was trying to grasp something so far away that not even the power of her voice could reach it, which seemed strange to him because Rachel's voice seemed even stronger than when they sang together.

Finn turned to the back door as if to follow the path that Rachel's voice seemed to have left and spotted a soft glow of light coming from the hallway and the silhouette of Quinn in the doorway.

He started to raise his hand to wave, but a slight reflection of light from her cheek stopped him. He tried to make his eyes focus on her figure. Her hair seemed a little out of place, her arms were bracing her in the doorway and she seemed to be heaving a little like she'd sprinted across the school to get here. He thought it a little strange, but then he saw her face. Her expression looked pained and desperate. In a funny way, her expression almost looked familiar.

As he tried to place it, he turned back to the stage as Rachel belted out her last line. Her face was sort of strained in a way as her tiny body threw everything into her voice. He saw two tears fall along her face as she tightly shut her eyes to sing "forever more".

He turned back to Quinn to find a matching expression; tears falling down her cheeks. In a moment of confusion he turned back to Rachel as her last notes left her body and rang through the auditorium.

He felt frozen. For a reason he couldn't place or understand, he felt extremely out of place, as though he was interrupting a private moment. This seemed rather silly to him seeing as this was an audition and Mr. Schue and that annoying kid Jessie St. Jackass was there, but the feeling stuck with him in a way that nearly made him lose his lunch.

It wasn't until the last note had ceased echoing through the hall that Finn was able breathe again, much less move. When he turned around, he only caught a glimpse of blond hair disappearing behind the closing doors.