Rachel stood and looked at the banner. The McKinley High Class of 2012 Ten Year Reunion. Had it really been ten years since they won Nationals and graduated?
"Rachel Berry." She heard a voice behind her.
"Quinn Fabray." She spun around. "And I thought you disappeared off the face of the planet." Rachel hugged her.
"And you conquered Broadway, and I hear that you've just finished filming a movie."
"We wrapped a month ago." Rachel confirmed. "So where did you disappear to after all of that about keeping in touch?"
"Yale was harder than I thought. Things happen and it got longer and longer since I'd picked up the phone."
"I tried calling you." Rachel said. "I heard you graduated law school."
"I know. I'm sorry and I did. So you did you what you set out to do."
"I know all my dreams came true. I couldn't be happier."
"You got married I hadn't heard about that?" Quinn noticed her wedding ring.
"Five years now." Rachel smiled.
"Really?"
"It's not a secret, I just didn't announce it. One minute I was engaged and too busy to figure out whether I wanted to get married in New York or here and the next I was on a beach in Hawaii getting married with just my parents, his family and Kurt and Blaine. He arranged the whole thing for a three day weekend when I was in the middle of rehearsals. It wasn't the wedding I'd always dreamed off but it was perfect."
"You didn't marry Finn did you?" Quinn asked.
"No, I've only seen Finn twice since I left for New York. In high school I thought marrying him was all I ever wanted and then I got to New York and NYADA and I realised it would have been the worst mistake I would have ever made. "
"So who did you marry?" Quinn inquired.
"Hold on a second." Rachel pulled her phone out her purse and sent a quick text message. "Quinn wanted to know who I married." Rachel said to someone who walked up behind Quinn.
Quinn turned to see Puck.
"You married Puck?"
"Nice to see you too Quinn." He handed Rachel a glass of orange juice. "Yes we got married."
"Wow. I didn't see that one coming." She admitted. "Congratulations."
"Thanks." Puck smiled.
"Quinn's a lawyer." Rachel told Puck. "And Noah owns a Jewish restaurant."
"Co-owns." Puck corrected.
"You can cook something other than pot cupcakes?" Quinn was shocked.
"He's a better cook than I am." Rachel smiled then rubbed her stomach.
"You ok?" Puck asked.
"Just kicking."
"You're pregnant?" Quinn guessed.
"24 weeks." Rachel confirmed.
"You don't look pregnant." Quinn looked her up and down.
"I've been dancing 12 hours a day for six months so I've only gained 8lbs. But my doctor says we're both doing well. Excuse me I need to use the bathroom. I'll be right back." She handed Puck her drink.
"So you went to New York?" Quinn said once Rachel was out of earshot.
"Yes."
"How long did it take you?"
"Six months, I figure she'd be over Finn by then."
****Flash back***
Rachel grabbed her drink from the barista as karaoke went on in the behind.
"And this one is for Rachel." A familiar voice announced. Rachel turned to see Puck.
If I could
I would dare
Feed your dreams
And starve your fears
If I could
Light the world
We could sit
And watch it burn
We could fall asleep inside the glow
So tell me what I gotta do to win you over
You'll never have to wonder if you need another
You'll never have to wonder if I understand
And every time you reach for me you'll find a hand
OhhhIf I could
Take you in
Feeling you deep
Beneath my skin
Then I could
Slip away
With you as a poison in my veins
I don't wanna fall asleep alone
And wake up knowing that I died without the one
So tell me what I gotta do to win you over
You'll never have to wonder if you need another
You'll never have to wonder if I understand
And every time you reach for me you'll find a hand
OhhhIf I could
I would dare
Feed your dreams
And starve your fears...
As the song finished Rachel ran outside and screamed.
"You know I hear that's bad for your voice."
"What are you doing here Noah?" She asked without turning around.
"Your roommate told me where you were." He stuffed his hands in his pockets.
"What are you doing in New York? You're supposed to be in LA with blondes in bikinis."
"There was a problem with that. You see as much as I loved the blondes in bikinis I couldn't get the girl with the plaid skirts and animal sweaters out my head." He admitted.
Rachel who still had her back to him couldn't help but smile.
"How long are you here for?"
"I moved here, my friend is opening a restaurant and offered me a job. Look Rach…" He took a step closer to her. "I gave you six months to get over Finn."
"I'm over Finn." Rachel interrupted.
"Good, because he's been seeing a blonde who makes Brittany look like the president of Mensa for the last four months. So do you want to get a cup of coffee?"
"Coffee?" Rachel turned to look at him.
"It's too late for dinner and too early for breakfast." He shrugged. Rachel smiled while rolling her eyes.
"It's about damn time you got here; I thought I was going to have to go LA for Spring Break." Rachel walked over wrapped her arms around his neck and kissed him.
"Sorry." He mumbled between kisses.
"And yes."
"Yes?"
"To coffee, breakfast and dinner."
**** End Flashback*****
"Does Finn know?" Quinn asked.
"He found out after we got married and took a swing at me. He's been seeing women who have two criteria for the last ten years blonde and no brain cells."
"It makes a change for him being the smart one in the relationship. So you own a restaurant?"
"Co-own. Troy inherited the building and wanted to turn it into a kosher diner. He needed some help and couldn't really afford to pay me much so he let me live upstairs for free and gave me shares. Rachel moved in after she finished her first year at NYADA and never left. Troy owns 51 percent and between us Rachel and I own the rest. Most of the recipes we use are her grandparents."
"I still can't believe you can cook. I missed so much."
"If you're ever in New York drop by lunch is on me." He nudged her.
"And now you're having a baby. Do you know if it's a girl or boy yet?"
"I think it's a boy, but he was being uncooperative at the sonogram. Rachel's decided she doesn't want to know now."
"I guess she's going to be taking some time off for a while." Quinn took a sip of her drink.
"No she's goes into rehearsals next week."
"They do know she's pregnant?"
"Yes. That's why they're going to start rehearsals now, then she is doing some of the movie's US promotion, six weeks after he's born she goes back into rehearsal for another two weeks and then it's opening night."
"She doesn't want to wait and see how she feels?" Quinn questioned.
"She asked me what she should do and I told her it was up to her, but how often do they come to you and ask you to be the lead in Wicked?" Puck shrugged. "We'll figure out the details."
"Wicked? Seriously?"
"I don't know who was more excited Rachel or Kurt."
"Is Kurt here? What's he doing now?"
"Somewhere and he just finished a run in an off Broadway musical. Blaine is his and Rachel's manager. Mike's here somewhere with Tina, they own a dance studio in LA, he choreographed the movie."
"They're still together?"
"No, but Tina wanted to catch up with everyone and since Mike's girlfriend Helen dumped him a couple weeks ago Tina came instead." Puck explained. "Mercedes and Sam got married. After six years she figured she wasn't getting rid of him so they had a drive-thru wedding in Vegas."
"I'll have to congratulate her when I see her." Quinn looked around them room.
"They're not; they're on tour in Europe with someone I can't remember right now."
"What about Santana? I'm going to owe her ten bucks when I see her."
"And I'm here to collect." Santana stepped up behind. "Hey Quinn." Santana gave her a hug. "You look good. My mom said something about you getting married."
"And divorced." Quinn confirmed. "Marrying another lawyer was a bad idea; neither of us would back down from an argument. But I'm engaged again." She showed Santana her ring.
"To whom?"
"Connor. He owns a cattle ranch."
"A cowboy?" Santana questioned.
"I know, but after my divorce I decided to take a road trip to clear my head and broke down in this little town in Wyoming. The garage was going to take three days to get the part, so I stuck around and went to this little bar and Connor was there. We got talking and I never left. We were supposed to get married last summer but his parents were in a car accident. We're getting married in September."
"Congratulations." Santana smiled.
"I thought you weren't coming since Brittany couldn't find anyone to mind the shop." Puck commented.
"I convinced her that anyone crazy enough to want to buy clothes for their cat could wait until Monday. Besides since my personal chef and my Sunday brunch companions are all in Lima, I left town."
"Clothes for cats?" Quinn questioned.
"Brittany had this crazy idea that she was going to open a shop that sold clothes for pets and other crap that only insane people would buy. But she makes a profit and we only have five cats."
"What about you?"
"I'm a buyer at Saks. I love it." She smiled. "By the way Puck, Mercedes called yesterday, she said to tell you that they'll be back in three weeks and they'll be by for dinner."
"They always come for dinner when they're in town." Puck pointed out.
"But they're bringing thirty people with them."
"As long as it's not karaoke night it's fine. We manage fine when the glee club drop by."
"Glee club?" Quinn questioned.
"When Nationals are in New York Rachel gives them a tour of whatever theatre they're in and I give them a free dinner." Puck explained.
****Flashback******
"Hi guys." Rachel was waiting in the lobby of the Broadway theatre where she was staring as Meat in the production of We Will Rock You. "Welcome to Broadway."
"Guys I'd like to introduce you all to Rachel Berry, one of the founding members of New Directions and one of the stars of this show." Will introduced them.
"I'm going to give you a quick tour of the theatre and back stage, please feel free to ask any questions. Then I'm going to let you do what very few people get to do and sing on the stage. Mr Schue tells me that you have plenty of Queen songs in your repertoire just like we did. Once we're done here we're going to hop back on the bus and I'm going to take you home to Brooklyn with me to my husband's restaurant for lunch on us."
"You don't live in Manhattan?" Someone asked.
"No. Noah, who was also in New Directions, moved here about six months after we graduated high school while I was at NYADA to open the restaurant with his friend Troy. He lived upstairs after my first year I moved in with him and we've never left. We like the neighbourhood and the place." Rachel explained. "I also like the commute, it gives me a chance to get into character on the way and then relax on the way home."
"You married your high school boyfriend?" Someone else asked.
"He was only my boyfriend in high school for a week." Rachel corrected. "I was actually engaged to someone else in high school right up until I left to come to New York."
"You don't have to answer these questions." Will told her.
"It's ok. Take a seat." She told them as they entered the main theatre. She waited until they were all seat before she started. "Being here on Broadway has been my dream since I was old enough to say Broadway. It's the one thing I always focused on and I wasn't going to let anything get in my way. It made me difficult to deal with. But being in the glee club taught me about knowing how good it feels to have people who like and accept you for the fact that you are different. In glee I found some of the best friends anyone could hope for, people I'm still friends with today. I found a husband who loves me and gets why this is so important to me and supports me unconditionally, friends who I know have my back whatever happens and if this end tomorrow and I couldn't do this anymore I would still have a husband who loves and supports me unconditionally and friend I can count on. That's the bigger picture, glee teaches you important life lessons and it's not all about the costumes and who gets the leads. Now let's get on with this tour I want to see you guys perform."
#####
"Hi honey I'm home." Rachel called as she led the glee club into the restaurant.
"You're welcome to visit my home anytime darlin'". One of the customers winked at her.
"And what would your wife say Charlie?" Rachel smiled.
"Stop flirting with the customers." Puck came out of the kitchen and gave her a kiss.
"Guys this is Noah. Noah, the current New Directions."
"Welcome, hi Mr Schue. We have a table all set up for you guys back here, order anything you want from the menu it's on me."
"You were in Glee club?" Someone questioned.
"I was the resident bad boy; I went to juvie and everything."
"You weren't that bad." Rachel squeezed his hand. "Just confused and misguided."
"Take that for a jerk who threw slushies at her."
"The place is looking great." Will who had been there several times commented.
"Rachel made us redecorate last year." Puck explained.
"Mr Schue before we eat there are a few people who would like to see you."
The sound of da da da came from the kitchen.
Blaine: Just a small town girl
Livin' in a lonely world
She took the midnight train going anywhere
Santana: Just a city boy
Born and raised in South Detroit
He took the midnight train going anywhere
Mercedes: A singer in a smokey room
The smell of wine and cheap perfume
For a smile they can share the night
It goes on and on and on and on
Sam: Strangers waiting
Up and down the boulevard
Their shadows searching in the night
Tina: Streetlight people
Living just to find emotion
Hiding, somewhere in the night
Kurt: Working hard to get my fill
Everybody wants a thrill
Payin' anything to roll the dice
Just one more time
Rachel: Some will win, some will lose
Some were born to sing the blues
Oh, the movie never ends
It goes on and on and on and on
All: Strangers waiting
Up and down the boulevard
Their shadows searching in the nigh
tKurt: Streetlight people
Living just to find emotion
Hiding, somewhere in the night
All: Don't Stop Don't stop believin'
Hold on to the feelin'
Streetlight people
woahhhh
Don't stop believin'
Hold on to that feeling
Streetlight people
Ohhh, woahhhh
Don't stop
Hold on to that feelin'
Streetlight people
"What are you all doing here?"
"We heard you were all in town so we thought we'd drop by for lunch." Santana explained.
"We're supporting Taylor Swift in the Garden." Mercedes added.
"Guys I'd like you to meet some of the rest of the original New Directions, Santana Lopez, Brittany Pearce, Mike Chang, Tina Cohen-Chang, Kurt Hummel, Blaine Anderson, Sam Evans and Mercedes Jones-Evans." He gave them all a quick hug. "How are things going in LA?" He asked Mike.
"Good, the studio is doing really well. I got asked to choreograph a new movie, that's why Tina and I are in town, we came with the director to meet with the agent of the person we'd like for the lead."
"Rachel." Blaine said. "I was meaning to tell you I had a breakfast meeting this morning, since your contract is up next month you told me to look for something else for you. You got offered the lead in a new musical movie. It's being choreographed by a Mike Chang."
"Seriously?" Rachel looked at Mike.
"Who else was I going to recommend?" He shrugged.
"Yes!" Rachel jumped to hug him but then stopped and looked at Puck. "Yes?" He nodded. Rachel launched herself at Mike and hugged him.
"Hands Chang." Puck warned him.
"You're really not going to want to come by the set while they're filming. I've read the script." Tina warned him.
"With that I should get back into the kitchen. Let Rachel know what you want and enjoy." Puck ducked back into the kitchen as they all took their seats.
*********End Flashback************
TBC
A/N: The songs are Over by Blake Sheldon and Don't Stop Believing.