It's a role that's a little outside her comfort zone, she knows - but that's good, right? After all, versatility is the key to becoming an EGOT winner by the age of 25, and she already has her Tony and her Grammy, so she's halfway there. That, and the kind of shining talent that's far too bright to deny. So she gets out of bed greeting the New York City morning with a smile, as she always does, thinking about her impending entry into the film world, and about the people with whom she's going to be working, and her smile widens, impossibly.

Who could have imagined that one class from one single high school from one little nothing town in Ohio would produce so many highly successful people in the world of arts and entertainment? Or, for that matter, that they would all end up working together one day on what was anticipated to be the biggest movie event of the following year? It was unthinkable, and yet Rachel could hear Mr. Schue's voice in her mind, saying he knew from the moment they met that they would all go on to do amazing things with their lives, smiling that proud, fatherly smile. And yet, somehow, it was true: she and her fellow former Glee clubbers had gone on to become extraordinary people, all very well known and respected in their chosen fields.

Stepping onto her elliptical to the unforgettable, goose bump-raising opening notes of "Don't Rain on My Parade," Rachel thought back to the phone call that changed everything.

Her iPhone rang early on Sunday morning while Rachel was breakfasting on a fruit smoothie and watching E! News after completing her morning shower and skin care routine. Sprawled out on the couch in her fluffy white bathrobe, with an equally fluffy white towel on her head, she reached over to the table to grab the device. The screen showed the caller's name and picture, and Rachel saw that it was her agent - bearing good news, she hoped.

"Hello, this is Rachel Berry. With whom am I speaking?"

"Hey, sweet cheeks. Remember when you said you wanted to start taking a look at some movie scripts?"

The voice of Holly Holiday, one-time substitute teacher turned in-demand agent, never failed to make Rachel smile. Holly had turned her winning Ohio state lottery ticket into a degree in entertainment law and then an extremely successful talent agency, representing not only Rachel, but also Mercedes, Brittany and Santana as the most exciting young rising stars in the entertainment world. Mercedes was currently ruling the R&B charts with her latest album, Brittany was highly in demand as both a lead dancer and choreographer for stage productions, world music tours and films, and Santana had just wrapped her second season as the star of a very highly rated police procedural drama on HBO. Rachel had no doubt that Kurt would have been on Holly's roster too, had it not been for his unexpected detour into behind the scenes work in costume and production design.

"Yes, I seem to recall saying that, and then getting buried under an avalanche of generic romantic comedy and teen drama scripts in the mail. I hope you're calling to say you've found something better for me?"

Holly's warm, throaty chuckle sounded in Rachel's ear. "I have, actually – and you're not gonna believe who's involved."

Before she could continue, Rachel interrupted excitedly. "Oh my God! Who? Spielberg? Scorsese? Has Barbra finally decided to direct again?"

"Rachel, Rachel, calm down. No, it's not Spielberg or Scorsese. And Barbra's still not taking my calls or responding to my e-mails. It seems she's still holding a grudge after the unfortunate - but still totally not my fault! - James Brolin wine-spilling incident."

"Really? Still?" Rachel sighed. No invites to the Streisand mansion this year – again. Well, at least Holly sounded embarrassed about it. "Well, then, who is it? Come on, spill! The suspense is killing me."

Holly laughed again. "All right, all right. The script is by the creators of the hottest comic book on the shelves right now, and there's a very talented up and coming director attached to the project. There's serious money backing the project too. I'm talking major players."

Rachel frowned. A comic book? Was she seriously being offered...a comic book movie?

"I can hear you frowning, Rachel. I know what you're thinking, and trust me, this is something you should strongly consider. I've sent you several issues of the comic, along with the script and the creators' and the director's contact information. They're really interested in having you on board. And don't tell anybody else, but Santana has already signed on to play a major role."

"Wait – what?!" Had she heard right? Santana was involved? "She's...she's not the lead, is she? Because, I mean...I don't know if I can handle playing a supporting role with her in the lead. I mean, yes, we've been friends for years now and I'm very happy for all of her success, of course, but – I just don't want my first movie role to be one where I'm playing second fiddle to my former high school nemesis."

"No, no, no – look, Rachel. This part was written expressly for you. The creators made it very clear that you're their first choice. Like I said before, they really want you to be involved. As your agent, I strongly recommend that you take this part. It's got 'blockbuster hit' written all over it. And as your friend, I think it would be a really great learning experience as well. In this business, you've got to keep a very open mind and be flexible when it comes to choosing your projects, and I honestly believe that this one is a winner."

Holly paused, meaningfully, and took in a large breath before continuing. Rachel knew what this meant: her agent was fully invested in seeing her involved in the project - and well, she'd never been wrong before. When Holly spoke with this kind of passion and determination, Rachel knew that she just couldn't say no. Because honestly, every choice she had made since hiring Holly as her agent had been absolutely right, no matter how unsure she'd been about the part.

"This is a star-making role, Rachel, and I know you're all about being a star. They are kind of your thing, remember?"

Two days later, Rachel's buzzer sounded, and a familiar voice came through the intercom as she sat with her laptop at the kitchen table, where she had just finished a video interview with yet another Broadway fan Web site.

"Good morning, Rachel. I have your mail and that tofu stir-fry you love, fresh from Woo's Kitchen! Can you buzz me in, please?"

Rachel walked to the intercom, pushed the button and replied, "Of course, Marley. You didn't have to bring me lunch, you know, but thanks. Come on up!"

Marley Rose was Rachel's personal assistant. Fresh out of NYADA, she was young and full of the same wide-eyed optimism and enthusiasm that Rachel had when she'd been starting out. Tall, slender and strikingly beautiful, Marley had the kind of looks and talent that Rachel knew would go very far in their business with the right guidance, and Rachel was determined to provide that for the girl, just as Will, Emma and Holly had done for her.

A few moments later, Marley entered the spacious apartment, placed the mail on the table beside Rachel's laptop, and headed into the kitchen to put the food on the counter.

"That's a pretty sizable envelope from Holly. Another script?" Marley asked as she retrieved plates, forks and glasses from the kitchen cupboards and set them down on the counter next to the bag of food.

"Yes, it's a script and some additional information about the people involved with the project. Holly was adamant that I look at everything closely, even though I have some serious reservations about coming on board," Rachel replied. She turned the large envelope over and frowned as she saw the tape sealing it shut. "Could you bring me the scissors, please? Top right drawer on the left, by the sink. Thanks."

"No problem," Marley said brightly, getting the last of the Chinese food containers out of the bag, then turning to find the drawer containing the requested scissors. After a few moments of rummaging around, she found them and walked over to the table. "Y'know, if you ask me, Holly always puts way too much tape on those envelopes." She took the envelope from Rachel's hands with a warm smile and sat down. "Here, let me do it."

Rachel returned her assistant's smile with her own, the trademark thousand-watt smile that had won the hearts of musical theater fans everywhere. She chuckled internally when she saw the faint tinge of pink that always colored Marley's cheeks whenever Rachel gave her that patented smile. You'd think she would have gotten used to it by now, Rachel thought. But she was glad to see it, just the same.

"Thank you, Marley. What would I ever do without you?" Rachel asked, knowing she would receive the same answer she always got.

"Oh, stop. You'd do just fine without me. I'm just here to give you a little extra help every now and then." She paused as she cut the envelope open, careful to ensure that none of the contents were damaged in the process, and handed it back to Rachel before rising from her chair and returning the scissors back to the drawer from which they came. "Ah, there you go. All done. Now, let me get our lunch on the table before it gets cold. You know Chinese food never tastes quite the same after it's been reheated."

After the food had been eaten and enjoyed and the plates and silverware rinsed and put away in the dishwasher, Rachel and Marley sat down on the large, plush sofa in the living room, where Rachel spread out the contents of the envelope on the dark, burnished wood of the mahogany coffee table. The script was a thick, lengthy tome, which surprised Rachel; she had thought comic book based movies were always light on dialogue and heavy on explosions. Intrigued, she peered down at the title: Diva. Marley looked at her with raised eyebrows and a shocked expression on her face, as if to say, "Really?" Then they both laughed. No wonder Holly thought this was a good choice; she always did have a strange sense of humor.

Then Rachel noticed the names beneath the title - and that was the moment she knew that she didn't even have to read the script. (Although she would, of course.) She had to do this movie. It wasn't even a question anymore.

Diva – An Unexpected Hero, by Quinn Fabray and Sam Evans.

Marley saw the emotions flashing in Rachel's eyes: surprise, amazement, even a touch of fear. She looked down at the cover again and she too was struck with the realization of what this meant to the woman seated beside her. She was Rachel's assistant, but more than that, she was her friend.

"Oh...oh, wow. I can't – really? I can't believe it!" Marley whispered as she watched Rachel reach beneath the script book to find five issues of the comic book.

The cover of the first issue showed a flying super heroine with the New York City skyline behind her and a brightly shining sun above. The character's long flowing hair was dark and lovely, held away from her face by a golden circlet. Her costume was sleek and sexy, yet not overly revealing, like a gymnast's long-sleeved leotard, white, with a purple cape, belt and boots, and her long, sculpted legs were left bare. Rachel's hand flew to her face and tears filled her eyes when she saw that there was a brilliant gold star emblazoned upon the chest. But the face...the face was what struck her.

It was hers.

The wide, chocolate brown eyes...the olive skin tone...the full, pillow-like lips...and the nose. Even the nose. They were all hers. Just ever so slightly different, the nose just a little smaller, a little straighter, the hair a lighter shade...but still. It was her face.

Just...perfected.

Written by Quinn Fabray and Sam Evans. Art by Quinn Fabray.

Her eyes lingered on the second credit: Art by Quinn Fabray.

Oh my god, she thought. Was...was this how they saw her? With that hair, that face, that body? Because really, she knew she'd always had good legs, but not like those.

She picked up the first issue. Marley, because she didn't know what else to do, followed, reaching down to pick up the second. On that cover, the heroine stood upon a stage, a spotlight illuminating her in the darkness, a microphone in her hand. Her eyes were closed, her mouth open. There were large, glowing musical notes dancing all around her.

Rachel quickly became engrossed in the words and pictures. It was a simple story, but well told: the tale of a young girl in a small town, trying to navigate through the daunting world of high school, with its cliques and classes, feeling ignored and alone, but in possession of a singular talent, one she knew would take her far away, to the big city, where fame and fortune awaited. She was a singer, and she was born to be a star.

It was almost too much for Rachel to take. Quinn's artwork was stunning. It was lovingly, painstakingly detailed, and she was in complete awe of the former cheerleader's talent. Had she always been able to draw like this? Why had she never seen it before? Why had she never shown her?

The characters spoke words that she had heard before, years ago, or similar ones. The pride, the hurt, the disappointment, the joy – everything she and her classmates had experienced growing up in the halls of McKinley High. A more loving tribute Rachel could not have imagined.

Indeed, as she continued to read, Rachel found that the fictional William Howard Taft High School, situated right smack dab in the middle of the bucolic suburb of Greenfield, Ohio, was a wonderfully depicted clone of McKinley.

The heroine had her dramatic side, of course, but her heart was pure. She had a best friend, Cain, a flamboyant and talented young gay boy; he was black in the comic book instead of white - but the attitude and fierce loyalty let Rachel know it was really Kurt through and through. There were three beautiful cheerleaders: a kind, sweet blonde named Suzanne (an obvious nod to Brittany); steely, conflicted Lucy (Rachel couldn't help but smile at the name, but really, what else would Quinn have chosen, though the red hair she'd given herself was a surprise) and a fiery, protective Latina named Marisol (who was nearly the spitting image of Santana).

There was a tyrannical gym teacher, Coach Silver, tall and haughty and possessed of an endless supply of track suits, taunts and insults - a dead ringer for Sue Sylvester - always followed by a miniature sidekick named Betty, and a clueless principal named Mr. Plum, with the balding pate and defeated manner of their own Mr. Figgins. Rachel laughed out loud at their battles with the exasperated, but always tenacious Glee Club teacher, Mr. Schiller, whose collection of colorful sweater vests (and curly, product-filled hair!) actually outdid Mr. Schuester's.

And there was a kind and gentle teacher with the unmistakable red hair and large, round eyes of Emma Pillsbury, although here she was named Ms. Keebler. Rachel loved how perfectly Quinn had captured Emma's perpetual expression of surprise, marveled at how the words that were placed in the balloons next to her face were full of gentle – if sometimes awkward - wisdom, just as Emma's had always been.

There were moving and insightful scenes of friendship and the tender ache of first relationships and self-discovery; humorous interactions at school: Tina's alter ego in the comic book, Alexa, acquiring the nickname "Bat" after convincing Principal Plum that she could turn into one so that she could continue wearing Goth clothing to school; Archie the wheelchair-bound boy learning to dance while seated; the misadventures of tall, dopey football player Jim and his fellow jock and best friend Hawk – Finn and Puck, of course. Quinn had drawn the sleepy half-smile Finn always wore perfectly, and Puck's obnoxious hairstyle and predatory eye for the girls was equally authentic.

But then, of course, amidst all of this true-to-life stuff, there were the expected breakneck action sequences featuring knock-down, drag-out battles between Diva and her arch-enemy - a fearsome, frenetic and tragically broken young woman calling herself Wild Child – and these, to Rachel's surprise and delight, were as skillfully written and compellingly illustrated as everything else.

Rachel kept reading. She felt suddenly eager to find out how her comic book doppelganger, whose name was Rena Cherry, acquires the power to soar above the city, along with that stunning costume, and before too long, the hero's origin was revealed.

It's raining. Hard. Harder than anyone in town has ever seen it rain, harder than anyone could remember. The wind drives the rain against cars, buildings, people at punishing speed, the drops feeling like heavy bullets of ice as they slapped against metal and brick and wood and flesh. Rena is running home from school, her umbrella bent and useless against the harsh torrent of precipitation pelting down upon her from the blackest sky she has ever seen. She's soaked to the bone, her teeth are chattering, and she wants nothing more than to get inside her house, where her two mothers, Shelby and Holly, are (she hopes) waiting with towels and a steaming mug of hot chocolate ready for her.

Trying desperately to wipe the rain from her eyes, she comes to the busiest intersection in town, where cars are traveling at unsafe speeds, driven by people who want to get home just as badly as Rena does. As she attempts to cross the street, her bag slips from her shoulder, comes open, and her precious book of sheet music falls out. Tired, disheveled and frustrated, Rena stops in the crosswalk, her attention drawn to the ground for a split-second – and then there's a truck bearing down on her.

Eyes wide and unseeing, body rigid, she screams a wordless cry of terror. Screams and screams. There's no sound in the world other than that scream. It seems to go on forever.

And the truck slams to a halt, as though an invisible wall has suddenly sprung up out of nowhere between her and the massive vehicle. The truck's front end crumples as though it's been punched by an angry giant's fist.

How - ?

The driver will sport serious bruises on his chest and torso from the impact with the steering wheel, but he's alive. And, impossibly, so is Rena.

What just happened?

It was her voice, she realizes, numb and shaking and just barely able to make sense of anything at all. Somehow, the sheer power of her voice had stopped the truck just before it could flatten her. Seeing that the truck driver is all right, Rena hurriedly gathers up her sheet music book and runs away, runs to the warmth, safety and comfort of her home.

In that crucial, terrifying moment, when she had raised an invisible, indestructible barrier between herself and certain death, she hadn't noticed that the rain had stopped. Or that a bolt of lightning had shattered the seemingly impenetrable blackness of the sky at the same time she had let out that impossible scream.

Rachel gasped at that final, fateful moment, felt the release of the tension that she hadn't realized had built up within her.

"Good story, huh?" Marley asked softly. There was a slight tremble to her voice; she thought there might be something wrong with Rachel, wondered if she might need to call the doctor or take her to the emergency room.

Rachel shook her head, emerging from her comic book-induced haze. She was glad to see that the comic she held wasn't creased or otherwise damaged, despite the bone-deep emotion she had felt while reading that dramatic scene.

She noticed that Marley was looking at her with an expression of mild alarm, and instantly sought to reassure her that she was all right.

"Oh! Oh, yes. I had no idea that a comic book could be so...gripping. Sam and Quinn are wonderful storytellers," she said lightly, raising a hand to her chest in a typically dramatic gesture, reassuring her friend with a smile that said, I'm okay.

Marley returned the smile, her face relaxing with relief. "They sure are! If you liked that one, just wait till you read the next issue," she said, waving the comic she held in her hand before placing it back on the table with the others.

"So...you liked it?" Rachel inquired, curious as to Marley's thoughts. She valued the younger woman's opinion, and had often asked for it in the past when weighing other career decisions.

"Yeah!" Marley exclaimed. "This is going to make an amazing movie! You...you are going to do it, right? You have to do it! Please tell me you're going to take the part."

Laughing, Rachel shook her head and said, "Holly's never steered me wrong yet. I should know to trust her absolutely by now. So yes, Marley. I'm going to take the part." She stood up then, placing her feet far apart and her hands on her hips. Her voice took on a strong, authoritative tone, and with a serious, determined expression on her face, she declared: "Get out of the way, Spider-Man. Move over, Superman. Stand aside, Batman. There's a new hero in town, and her name is...Diva!"

Marley just looked at her blankly for a few seconds before shaking her head and responding, "I think you're going to need to work on that delivery."

They both burst out laughing, and it was a good five minutes before they stopped.

After they had both read all five issues of the comic book, Marley reluctantly went home so that Rachel could read the movie script by herself. She knew that Rachel liked to focus and concentrate fully on the material whenever she was presented with a new script to read. Comic books were one thing, but scripts were quite another, and Rachel took them very, very seriously.

So it was that Rachel delved deeply into the script, reading in bed and visualizing herself in the role as she always did. Imagining herself in the costume, she grimaced at the realization that she was going to need to work out a heck of a lot more if she was going to look like a superhero. Holly was right; it was an amazing script. For first time screenwriters, Sam and Quinn knew exactly what they were doing. Even if the character hadn't been based on her, Rachel would have wanted to play the role of Rena: she was smart, funny, occasionally a tad abrasive. There was an undercurrent of doubt, an ache of vulnerability, beneath the brash self-confidence the character displayed with her family, with her friends, and especially when wearing the costume and heading into battle. Nothing was going to stop her, nothing was going to get in her way – and yet, she couldn't stop asking, what if it did?

Rachel knew all too well what that was like.

But aside from the emotional depth with which the character had been imbued, the script had everything Rachel imagined a fan of the comic (and she counted herself as one now) could want: the friendships, the romances, the humor, the battles – and most of all, the determination of one young woman to rise above everything, to make a mark on the world. To matter. To be special.

To soar into the sky and shine like a star.

When Rachel closed her eyes after finally finishing the script and putting it aside, she could see herself flying. And suddenly, she wanted to do that more than anything she had ever wanted to do in her life.

Her iPhone rang, so loud after the long silence that Rachel jumped in surprise. Shaking her head and laughing silently at herself, she picked it up from its place next to her on the bed, where she had abandoned it before taking up the script. Her smile instantly reversed course, the corners of her mouth turning into a small frown when she noticed that the call was coming from an unfamiliar number. Had Jacob Ben Israel somehow gotten hold of her number again? She was going to have some words with her service provider if that was the case.

She was still frowning when she accepted the call, but kept the frown out of her voice as she answered with her standard greeting: "Hello, this is Rachel Berry. With whom am I speaking?"

"Rachel? Hi. It's been a long time." The voice that came through the phone was unmistakable. Musical and raspy, like no other voice Rachel had ever heard.

One that was as much a part of her as her own.

She felt as though the wind had been knocked out of her, just as she had when she'd seen the names on the script.

"Quinn?"

This was actually the first Glee story I ever started writing, with the encouragement, support and expert editing help of my amazing friend and beta, the extraordinary kp83 (whose work here you should all be reading, like, now). I have several more chapters already written, and I'd like to see how much you all like it before I post the next chapter. Please leave a review or send me a PM if you like it, and let me know what you might like to see in future installments. Thanks!