Author's Note: Honestly, I didn't think that this fic would venture into M territory but as I wrote this chapter, that's exactly what happened. :D I had wanted to post this on Thursday but I've been super busy this past week so I didn't have time to finish this until today. I would like to have the next chapter posted in a few days, so fingers crossed that's what happens. Enjoy this chapter! Feedback is always appreciated!


Rachel sat at one of the tables near the dance floor talking to Kurt, Blaine and Mercedes. A week ago she had decided that she wasn't going to go to her final winter formal at McKinley. She hadn't had a date and she just hadn't felt like going to a dance. She'd made the mistake of mentioning it to Mercedes who, of course, had told Kurt who had decided that Rachel could not miss the last winter formal that she would ever attend in high school. Rachel had tried to explain it wasn't a big deal, but Kurt had informed her that when you are a senior in high school you should do everything that you can to make the most of your high school memories, date be damned.

Kurt had even dragged her shopping so she could buy the perfect dress, a short black satin strapless tiered bustier dress. She felt beautiful, which Kurt told her that was all that mattered. Besides, he'd said, there would be plenty of guys at the dance so he was sure she wouldn't be manless for too long. So that was how she'd got here, and she was glad she had listened to her friends because she was having so much fun.

"Let's go dance," Kurt suggested to everyone when a fast song came on. So they all jumped up and headed to the dance floor, dancing and laughing as they attempted to sing along with the song.

Unbeknownst to Rachel, Jesse stood just inside the entrance watching Rachel enjoy herself with her friends. God, he'd missed her more than he had realized. After they'd spent the day together last Christmas vacation, it'd taken a couple of months but they'd become best friends and now they talked every single day. Whenever he came back to Ohio, they always hung out. It was getting harder and harder to leave her each time.

After a couple of fast songs, Rachel heard the beginning chords of a slow song that she knew well. It was hers and Jesse's song, Lifehouse's 'From Where You Are'. Her heart hurt all of a sudden. "I'm gonna head back to the table," Rachel told Kurt and Blaine with a sigh. She noticed Kurt's face light up and then he looked at Rachel with a guilty expression. "What?" she asked, puzzled.

"Okay, so don't get mad at me, but I called someone to be your date," he replied, smiling mischievously.

"What? Who?" she squeaked out, not daring to turn in the direction that Kurt was currently looking.

Grasping her shoulders lightly, he smiled and turned her around to see who he had invited. Standing near the door in a black suit with a black tie was Jesse. They both simply stared at each other, unmoving. "Go," Kurt said into her ear, giving her a little push.

She was enthralled as she slowly walked towards Jesse. It almost felt like a dream or a movie, Rachel couldn't decide which.

"Hi," Jesse said softly as they finally met near the edge of the dance floor.

"Hi," was Rachel's only response. She had all sorts of questions she wanted to ask him but they would have to wait because all she wanted right now was for Jesse to wrap his arms around her. Grabbing her hand – So far away from where you are/And I'm standing underneath the stars/And I wish you were here – Jesse led her back to the edge of the dance floor and encircled her waist with his arms, pulling her close.

As they gently swayed to the music, they just gazed into each other's eyes. It was like everyone around them melted away and all they could see was each other. – I miss the beating of your heart/I see the shadows of your face – Rachel couldn't believe he was actually here. They'd talked the day before and he'd told her that he wouldn't be back for another week, yet here he was.

It had been so hard not to tell Rachel immediately when Kurt had called and told him that he had managed to talk Rachel into going to the winter formal and that Jesse needed to get back to Lima so he could help make the night unforgettable for her. Obviously, Rachel had confided in Kurt about her feelings for Jesse which was why Kurt had called Jesse. Jesse and Rachel could do the long distance relationship thing, but they'd both decided that it wasn't fair for either of them just in case they met someone else. Although, neither of them wanted to date anyone, so they may as well have been in a relationship.

They were so lost in each other that they didn't notice Kurt's self-congratulatory smug look for what he'd done or Finn off to the side of the dance floor with a slightly jealous look on his face until Santana sidled up to her boyfriend and he forgot all about his ex-girlfriend and Jesse St. James or even Mr. Schue over by the refreshment table talking to Coach Beiste and smiling slightly as he saw Jesse and Rachel completely oblivious to everyone and everything around them.

As the song was coming to an end, Jesse pulled Rachel closer and rested his forehead against hers as they continued to dance. So far away from where you are/These miles have torn us world's apart – Rachel craned her neck upwards and placed a soft kiss on Jesse's lips – And I miss you, yeah, I miss you/And I wish you were here.

"Let's get out of here," Rachel said against his lips.

"Are you sure? You got all dressed up," he asked, pulling back a little and looking her up and down. "You look stunning, by the way."

She nodded her head and smiled at him. "I'm sure."

Linking his fingers through hers, they went over to the table and got her coat then headed for the door as Rachel waved good-bye to her friends. Kurt looked so proud of himself, Rachel just had to laugh. She would have to thank him later.

"So what do you want to do?" Jesse asked once they were both inside of his car.

With a child-like grin she said, "Go look at Christmas lights."

"You never fail to surprise me, Rachel Berry," he responded with a warm smile. Ten minutes later they were driving through a neighborhood slowly ooh-ing and ahh-ing at all the decorated houses as Jesse's SUV was filled with the sound of classic Christmas music from his satellite radio. He and Rachel both preferred the crooners station because of musical greats like Bing Crosby, Nat King Cole, Frank Sinatra and Dean Martin.

As they were driving down one street with houses on both sides of the street with the most beautiful Christmas light displays, Jesse parallel parked his SUV so they could just sit and talk for a little while. With all the lights and the snow and Christmas music playing in the background, this was what Jesse loved about the holidays, the magical feeling that it had. That anything was possible.

"I can't believe you're here," Rachel sighed as she took off her seat belt and turned in her seat to look at Jesse, leaning her head against the head rest.

"Well, if it wasn't for Kurt I wouldn't have even known about your winter formal tonight," he admonished.

"I figured you had more important things on your mind than some silly high school dance," she explained, looking down at her hands. She had thought about telling him about it every time that they'd talked over the last month but whenever she was about to bring it up, she'd thought better of it.

"Rachel…" he began, waiting for her to look at him.

She looked back up at him. "Hmm?"

"Don't you know that I'd do anything for you?" he finished and reached over to entwine his fingers through hers.

"I know," she said, blushing slightly under his intense gaze. He brought her hand to his lips and placed a light kiss on the back of it. "I've missed you."

"We talk every day," he replied.

"I know. It's just…"

"Not the same," he finished for her. She nodded her head in agreement.

They sat in comfortable silence for a moment before Rachel sighed and said, "I love you." She couldn't believe that she'd just blurted out that little nugget. It had just felt right, and it was true. She loved him more than she'd ever loved anyone or anything in her entire life.

She began to get worried when he didn't say anything back. Not that she expected him to say it back to her. She knew that he might not be there quite yet, but she was glad that he at least knew how she felt. Then he was leaning towards her and his lips were on hers in a hungry kiss, burying his fingers in her hair as he pulled her even closer.

"Love you," he said softly against her lips as they pulled apart just long enough to catch their breath. Then his lips were on hers again and Rachel just couldn't get close enough to him so she started climbing over the center console to straddle Jesse's lap.

"Push your seat back," she demanded as Jesse pulled away surprised by the petite brunette that was suddenly in his lap. Jesse acquiesced to her request and pushed his seat back as far as it would go.

"Someone could see us," he told her with a mischievous glint in his eye.

"I don't care," Rachel replied before reclaiming his mouth with hers and pushing him back into the seat.

He brought his hands up to rest on her hips, squeezing lightly as Rachel's tongue grazed his teasingly. God, she was amazing and she really had no idea just how much. He'd wanted to do this very thing every time they'd hung out over the past year, but they'd managed to keep their hormones in-check somehow.

She ground herself against him slowly and Rachel smiled as Jesse's groan of pleasure rumbled through her chest. So naturally, she did it again, only this time a little faster which caused Jesse to jerk his head back away from her.

"Rachel…" he warned as he looked at her through lust-filled eyes. She bit her lip innocently before she ground herself against his growing arousal again. This time it was Rachel who let out a low moan, the feeling of Jesse's hands running up her sides and then the friction between them as she moved against him causing all sorts of sensations to rush through her body.

"We need to stop," Jesse tried again. He couldn't believe that he was trying to end their make out session, but here he was, being the sensible one.

She didn't want to stop though so she moved against him again. "Feel me," she whispered as she grabbed one of his hands and moved it down her body to between her legs. "Please," she begged as she could feel the heat of his hand almost touching her. She was being so open and vulnerable with him right now. How could he deny her?

"Are you sure?"

She nodded slightly, smiling unabashedly at him. He rubbed her gently through her panties at first, their eyes locked on one another. Then he pushed one finger inside of her and watched as she threw her head back in a moan of pleasure. In and out his fingers moved, fluttering inside of her as his thumb drew lazy circles around her bundle of nerves. She rested her head next to his as he kissed and sucked on her neck, all the while panting and moaning over the things that the was doing to her.

Rachel had never felt anything so wonderful in her entire life. He knew exactly where to touch her, how to touch her. When they had dated two years ago, he'd learned the exact spot on her neck that drove her crazy and he apparently hadn't forgotten where it was as he continued to kiss and suck and nip which only enhanced the feeling of pleasure that she was experiencing with the magnificent things that his fingers were doing to her. Then it was like fireworks exploded behind her eyes as she cried out and her body shook from her release. She felt Jesse's free arm wrap around her and hold her close as her body continued to shudder.

When her orgasm finally subsided she leaned back and looked at him adoringly. He reached up and brushed her hair back gently away from her face, resting his hand against her cheek as she leaned into it. "I love you," he said, just in case she hadn't fully heard him when he'd told her before.

This time it was Rachel who reached up and cupped his face in her hands, kissing him languidly. They were interrupted by a tap on Jesse's passenger side window, and they both froze. Looking over they saw it was a foot patrol police officer knocking on the window with his flashlight. Jesse rolled down the window as Rachel buried her face in Jesse's shoulder.

"Uh, good evening officer," Jesse said, rubbing Rachel's back soothingly trying to reassure her that everything would be fine.

"Look, I don't want to give either of you a citation so if you live here I need you guys to go inside your house or I need you to move your car. Understand?" the officer explained.

"Yes, sir," Jesse agreed. "Thank you."

"You guys have a good night and a Merry Christmas," the officer responded.

"You too, officer," Jesse said as the cop continued walking and Jesse rolled up the passenger window. "He's gone," he told Rachel quietly, still gently rubbing her back.

"Oh my God," Rachel exclaimed dramatically, burying her face in her hands as she sat up. "I thought I was about to go to jail for indecent exposure."

Jesse chuckled. "You're fully clothed, Rach."

"What if he'd come up five minutes sooner?" she asked frantically, realizing what the cop might have seen.

"Rachel, you're wearing a dress. He wouldn't have seen anything except maybe your O-face," he teased with a lecherous grin. Rachel smacked his arm before climbing back over the center console to the passenger seat.

She looked out the window, pouting slightly at his teasing, until she felt his thumb rubbing her bare shoulder. He had the sexiest smile on his face as Rachel turned to look at him. "I plan on seeing a lot more of that face," he whispered as he leaned over and kissed her lightly on the lips. Rachel blushed as he pulled back to look at her before he reached over and grabbed his seat belt to put it on.

Ten minutes later, they were parked in her driveway saying good-night to each other. "Tomorrow?" Jesse asked.

"Absolutely," Rachel happily agreed. She leaned over and placed a chaste kiss on his lips. "Good night, Jesse."

"Good night, Rachel," he replied as she opened the passenger door to get out. As he watched to make sure that she made it inside her house safely, he leaned his head back and sighed happily, grinning from ear-to-ear. She was really his again. Finally.