Here's the update! I'm very moved by all the positive feedback and hope you guys continue to enjoy. Sorry to say no smut in this chapter but coming very soon :)
Please see the disclaimer in chapter 1, if you must.
She's never wanted a time machine so badly in her entire life. She can't believe she was so self-absorbed she didn't even bother asking Finn who he was or what he was doing there in the first place. More things made sense, like how he knew Quinn, Will and Shelby… but it didn't really help. In fact, it only made things worse. He must think she was a self-absorbed, conceited wanna-be who can't even recognize talent when she meets it. And he had been so nice…
Damn.
Rachel Berry never did things half-assed. Apparently, screwing up her first meeting with a potential co-star was yet another thing she had unfortunately excelled at.
"Rachel, meet Finn Hudson. Like you, he's rather unknown to the Broadway world. However we're very excited to see him in the stage playing Mark."
Finn smirked at her, amused at the embarrassed blush gracing the brunette's face. "We actually met outside" he clarifies "but for the sake of the audition – Hello. I'll be your Mark today. Are you ready Rachel?"
She studies the man in front of her. He's still handsome, and tall. He still looks fresh and like a boy-next-door. Not exactly like a ruthless kidnapper who'd force himself upon his victim. His good looks are too obvious though, and she thought with a bang of pain that Quinn would look great next to him. Still, the warmth in his eyes prevailed and she understood that he was trying his best to make her feel comfortable.
"Call me Amy then." She answers, figuring this is not exactly the best time to falter in her fake confidence. A flicker of his eyes alerts her to the fact he notices her fingers clutching the papers with the scene tightly.
"Amy it is." He says with a nod.
Shelby and Will observe the interaction quietly, noticing the awkwardness of the pair but also see something intense. Intense is good.
"Please sit in the stools behind you. We've left out any directions – we want to see how the both of you take cues from each other and interpret the words. When you're ready, start from the first sentence Rachel."
She wishes she had a moment, a moment to collect her thoughts and channel her inner Barbara. All she can do, however, is take a few steps back to sit and read the scene. As her eyes dart through the page, it takes all her acting prowess not to gasp at the material.
"Please…" she says softly, figuring the scene requires her to appear submissive to him. "no."
In that precise moment, she sees Finn Hudson transform. The warmth evaporates from his eyes and all she sees is a vacant stare. His jaw locks, his muscles tense and his posture becomes threatening. He looks precisely like the kind of guy one would avoid at night. He's really good.
"You must be restrained." He says with pure ice in his voice. He stands, towering over her still sitting position.
She looks up at him with her widest eyes "Must I?"
His face comes closer to hers, his gaze intent and unfaltering. "No. I must."
"Why?" she whispers, entranced by the cold eyes.
"Why are you fighting me Amy? I thought by now you had accepted our arrangement" he walks away from her, looking slightly betrayed.
"I do." She says downcast. She takes two tentative steps towards him, touching his shoulder lightly. "I just thought…. I love you Mark. I don't need to be bound and gagged and caged to stay."
He turns around, studying her. Her hand remains on his body, making her way to his jawline. "I want to stay."
He slaps her hand away, and goes as close as he can to her, completely invading her personal space. She shrinks in fear.
"Do you think I'm stupid Amy? Do you think saying those words is going to… hell. What the fuck do you expect? That I'll let you free? Out of this basement and show you to the world as my girlfriend?"
"But-"
"You might say all the right things like you love me or that you want to be with me. Your pussy might get wet when I fuck you and your shivers and moans might be convincing. But I distinctly recall, not so long ago, when you were begging me to stop. When you said I was disgusting. When your pussy was dry as a bone. When you wished for death before my touch. So how am I supposed to believe you? How the fuck do you expect me to let you free when the most obvious scenario is that you're lying through your teeth, waiting to escape?" He's vicious and resentful, so much that it actually scares her a bit.
The scene calls for her line but she remains quiet. She's choosing to apply a long pause while simply looking at him.
"Do you actually want me to love you? Does my love for you mean nothing?" she asks brokenly.
"You don't love me" he growls "you think you do. Being my captive has made you think that but you and I know what this really is."
"No." she insists, tears falling from her eyes. "You can bound me and gag me and fuck me and leave me to die. You don't get to tell me how I feel."
She takes his hand and puts it on her chest. "Look at me"
He avoids her gaze.
"Look at me!" she screams through the tears.
His eyes meet hers again, still cold and reserved. She kisses his hand and bends to her knees.
"How many times have we fallen asleep in each other's arms? I could've escaped then, easily. Maybe even killed you in your sleep, and no one would blame me. Instead, I stayed. I slept in your arms because as fucked up as it might be, I feel safe in them. The binds are useless because what binds me to this place is you."
"In that case let me restrain you, just to be sure."
"I need you trust me" she stands, her hands clutching his shoulders "I need you to accept that I love you."
"Do you know what would happen, if I wake up without you by my side?" his voice breaks, finally showing some vulnerability.
"You're not going to find out" she says pleadingly, now being the one holding his gaze until he's the one to look away first.
She stays looking at him, caressing the sides of his jaw with her trembling fingers until Shelby speaks again.
"Thank you Rachel. Thank you Finn. You will receive a call tomorrow regarding the results."
She turns around to see the writer and director, their faces expressionless. Awkwardly, she removes her hands from Finn's face.
"Thank you both for giving me the opportunity audition. It's truly been an honour to meet you." She smiles, wiping the stray tears from the scene. "And you Finn. You were amazing." She adds, looking at Finn who again looks like any regular guy instead of an intimidating, broken psycho.
"I'll walk you out." He answers.
The cold air and fumes hit her face as soon as they walk out of the door. Ever since leaving the audition room they didn't say a word. She's still reeling from how intense that scene was.
"Quite the play huh?" he says casually, breaking the tension.
"Tell me about it… and that was what? Like a minute of it? I can't even imagine what the rest is like…"
"Right there with you… I've only read that scene and a monologue for my audition. Also intense… It's really cool."
"Cool?" she asks.
"Yeah cause… it's like a really challenging role you know? I've never really even yelled at a woman… so having to be a complete asshole for a play is totally like widening my horses."
She giggles. "Horizons. Widening your horizons."
He blushes.
"You were amazing by the way" he says with a soft look in his eyes.
She scoffs. "Thank you. I'll admit such a subservient role was hard to play with no preparation at all, yet truthfully a fascinating experience. I can't wait to see the play. You and Quinn will get a standing ovation."
It's his turn to scoff "Not if they have any sense."
"What do you mean? I bet she was incredible"
"She basically screamed the whole scene. Like yeah it's an emotional part, but like… not a high, crazy emotional one. I think what you did was much better cause if Mark is going to trust Amy he needs to see she's being vulnerable in that moment. Not like bat-shit hysterical."
She nods thinking about his words. He has a point. Even if she doesn't know the rest of the play, the scene seemed to call for Amy to show beyond her words that she was being truthful…. Then again, Shelby and Will might just as well prefer dramatic antics.
"All I know is that I'm going to be an emotional def-con one until the results are announced to us. My roommates can barely handle me as it is, so let's hope they haven't murdered me by tomorrow."
"Really hope not, cause it would suck if you're dead for your first Broadway role"
"You really think I can get it?"
"Trust me Rachel Berry, your name will be in lights… right next to mine."
Kurt, Santana and Blaine decided to keep her company until the news arrived. That meant a sleepover in the living room, dinner and an endless amount of movies. Normally, Santana would've been asleep by the second Barbara movie and Blaine and Kurt long gone to their room. This time, they were all equally nervous for her. In times of make or break, they always stuck together.
"Oh my god the sun is coming up!" she exclaims.
"It tends to do that." Santana remarks "everyday."
"Unless you live really up North of course" adds Blaine.
"Not helping"
"Relax Berry. Either way, within the next few hours you'll know. That has to beat waiting, right?"
She smiles at Santana's words. Waiting. Last time she waited for something she met Finn. She's still quite embarrassed about their first meeting. She really should've asked who he was. Yet… he didn't seem to mind. In her years at NYADA, she grew to believe everyone in the industry was cut-throat and unreliable. Finn was different. He seemed genuine, kind, honest and laid back. Not your typical kind of guy but that has its appeal too. One thing was for sure, she couldn't wait to see him play Mark and she really, really wished to be his Amy.
"Ok, so we have blueberry pancakes, a fruit bowl and cereal" Santana announced
"I'm not even"-
Her phone started to ring.
She stares at it like it was an alien artifact. The sounds of her friends evaporate to the background. All she can hear is the thumping of her heart.
Here goes nothing.
"Hello? This is Rachel Berry."
"Hello Rachel, Will Schuester speaking. Hope I didn't wake you?"
She glances at the clock on her wall. 6:30 am. Any day he might've woken her up… it's just lucky she didn't sleep so that he doesn't have to bear with her disoriented, groggy self. Yeah… Lucky.
"Oh no Mr. Schuester don't worry, I am quite awake."
"Perfect! Well, Shelby and I had lots to talk about after you left. I mean, your credentials are quite impressive"
but it's not enough. Of course not. He's being polite. I knew this would happen. Now I'll still be a lost wanna-be starlet while Quinn gets to play the role of a lifetime with Finn.
"-and we want to offer you the part."
"What!? I mean… excuse me?"
"You're exactly what we need. Actually, you and Finn are exactly what we pictured for this play. It's going to be huge Rachel and I warn you, it's not going to be easy."
"I understand.."
"I don't think you do. You're going to be doing things on stage that would scandalize most people… and you need to sell it. We chose you because of your voice, and your ability to emote both in your acting and singing. But I'm telling you now; in order for this to succeed we'll need your all. Tomorrow we're starting with scene 2, which I'll email to you in a minute. You'll have to sit there, practically naked with your legs open while Finn pretends to go down on you. It's going to make Fifty Shades of Grey look like child's play. So, I ask you again, are you sure you can handle this?"
"Absolutely" she says, ending the call.
Instead of yelling or announcing the news to her friends, she just stares at her phone screen while thoughts rush through her head. She just got the part of a lifetime, and she's downright terrified of it.
