So I'm having a bit of a block when it comes to my other stories, so you might be seeing more of these one-shots than I had originally planned. The song is Let It Be Me by Ray Lamontagne. Enjoy!
I own nothing.
Rachel walked into Glee club and took her place in the back corner. She had spent the last three months sitting back there in an attempt to stay out of the spotlight. She found that it was easier to be in that room when she wasn't in plain view of everybody all the time.
The last three months had been the hardest of her life. Her father had been in a horrible accident and after a few weeks of unconsciousness succumbed to his injuries. Her Daddy had been inconsolable and since the funeral he had only been home once. She knew that he was in New York on business, and she was sure that when she graduated next year he'd move there completely. He had told her that it was simply too painful to be in that house without his husband. She hadn't complained about being left alone because she knew that once he had healed he would try to be there for her. She had hoped that her friends and boyfriend would take care of her in his absence.
A week after the funeral she had caught Finn sleeping with Santana. She had fled the room in tears and skipped school for the rest of the week. When she had returned on Monday he had cornered her at her locker and tried to excuse his actions.
"Rach, I didn't mean to cheat on you. It's just that I don't know how to talk to you anymore. You're always crying and yeah I know that you're sad about your dad but I just don't know what to say to you."
She had screamed at him for a few minutes, causing a bigger scene than either one of them were comfortable with. She had berated him for being insensitive and that she had thought he'd understand how she was feeling because his dad had died. She had yelled at him for cheating on her with her worst enemy. She had eventually resorted to punching him in the face and breaking his nose. She had thought that Noah would be so proud of her as she watched the blood gush from her ex-boyfriend's nose.
As if she hadn't been through enough, she had to deal with that fact that Noah was sitting Juvenile Detention. She had spent so many nights worrying about him. She almost preferred those nights over crying about her father and Finn. Oh how she missed Noah. He had become oher very best friend and she had been so distressed when she found out about the ATM incident and his subsequent punishment.
She had been spending so much time with Finn that she hadn't noticed that Noah was starting to drown in everything that had happened the year previous. If only she had been around a little more, been there to listen about Beth. So she had the regret and the guilt to add to the list of reasons why she was starting to lose any colour in her life. Everything seemed to be in shades of black and grey. She didn't even dream in colour anymore, though her nightmares were vivid nonetheless. She had taken to sleeping in the neutrally decorated guest room because waking up from a nightmare to see peptobismal walls had become distressing. Although, she didn't enjoy the colour during the day either.
She sat at the back of the choir room and ignored her fellow glee clubbers as they made their way into the room. Her Father had died and none of them had made an effort to be there for her. Even Mr. Schuester had blown past it like it would be best for everyone to ignore it all. He'd then spent the rest of the semester giving away her solos.
When Finn had cheated on her she'd heard some of her 'friends' laughing about it in the halls. Her father had died and they found it funny that Finn had hurt her further. The rest of the student body had completely backed off in their treatment of her, ignoring her mostly which she appreciated. She suspected it was because she looked so damn pathetic and sad, although it had been over a month since she'd last looked in a mirror so she couldn't be sure. But her own teammates felt the need to make her feel worse.
As the weeks turned into months, she found herself sinking into a deeper pit of unhappiness. She rarely cried and she never sang outside of Glee. Her clothes had gone from neatly put together skirts and animal sweaters to jeans and a lot of black. Noah's McKinley sweater made it's way into the rotation almost daily. Her hair fell limp and un-brushed and she never bothered putting on makeup. No one had noticed and by that point she didn't care anymore. She was only a part of Glee because while she was here, she wasn't home alone. If she was here, then she wasn't lying on her bed too depressed to eat. Glee was hell but the alternative was so much worse.
She leaned forward and placed her head in her hands, sighing tiredly. She did her best to block out the idle chatter of the group around her. She didn't need the reminder that everyone in Glee was friends except her. She heard Mr. Schuester talking but blocked out the words because it wasn't like he'd acknowledge her either way.
She thought of Noah and wondered how much longer he'd be in Juvie. She knew that he would have made things better if he was here. No matter how much he was hurting, he would have been there at the funeral. He would have punched Finn for her. He would have held her every time she cried. She missed him so much. He really was all that she had now and he wasn't here. He couldn't be here with her. She felt that last bit of hope she'd been holding onto slip. She was spiralling into hopelessness when the soft strumming of a guitar broke through her despair.
There comes a time
A time in everyone's life
Rachel's head whipped up and towards the front. Noah was sitting on the stool strumming on his guitar and singing.
Where nothing seems to go your way
Where nothing seems to turn out right
She rubbed her eyes in confusion as she continued to stare down at her best friend. She must be hallucinating. She had been wishing with all her might that she'd see him soon and here he was.
There may come a time
You just can't seem to find your place
She continued to stare at him as if he'd disappear. His voice was so lovely; at least her hallucination was accurate.
For every door you open
Seems like you get two slammed in your face
He smiled up at her and his eyes met hers as he headed into the chorus, singing the words earnestly.
That's when you need someone
Someone that you can call
Rachel searched his face hungrily as she realised that this wasn't a hallucination. The cruel world had finally given her something back; someone to pull her through the blackness that she was drowning in.
When all your faith is gone
It feels like you can't go on
He disappeared from her sight as her eyes began to blur through the tears. His words moved over her as she sat in amazement. She had just lost hope and he was here.
Let it be me
Let it be me
She wiped at the tears furiously and saw that he was still sitting there singing to her.
If it's a friend you need
And he was singing to her.
Let it be me
Let it be me
Apparently he knew what she'd been going through. The concern in his eyes showed exactly how worried he was about her. She had known that he'd care.
Feels like you're always coming up last
Pockets full of nothing, Ain't got no cash
His mother must have updated him on her father's accident, perhaps even what had happened with Finn as well.
No matter where you turn, you ain't got no place to stand
You reach out for something and they slap your hand
The smile had disappeared from his face but his eyes hadn't left hers and his voice still crooned sincerely.
I remember all too well
Just how it feels to be all alone
She realised with some embarrassment that he was seeing everything that everyone else had failed to see. He saw that her clothes were different and carelessly thrown together. He saw that her eyes were dull and the stress lines on her face. He definitely noticed that she'd lost more weight than she should have.
Feels like you'd give anything
For just a little place you can call your own
She was sure that he had noticed that despite her relief at seeing him, she hadn't smiled.
That's when you need someone
Someone that you can call
She wouldn't be surprised if he knew that she hadn't smiled since the day that her Father had died. Although truthfully she wasn't sure she'd smiled since Noah had been sent away.
When all your faith is gone
It feels like you can't go on
She wiped at the tears that hadn't stopped and just listened to his voice. He'd always been able to calm her and she had missed his voice.
Let it be me
Let it be me
Seeing him sitting there in front of her was a shining beacon of hope; because if anyone could save her, it was Noah.
If it's a friend you need
As she listened to his words she knew that he had every intention of saving her too.
Let it be me
Let it be me
She was aware of the stares coming off of her classmates, but her eyes never left Noah's. She didn't care if the gazes were concerned or just the sneers that she was used to.
Let it be me
Let it be me
Noah was back and nothing that any of them thought of said would ever matter.
If it's a friend you need
He was back and he would take care of her, she knew he would.
Let it be me
His words were a promise.
Let it be me
His eyes showed a love that could heal her.
Let it be me
His voice faded and he set his guitar aside just in time as Rachel stood and threw herself down the risers and into his arms. He pulled her into his lap and ran a hand through her hair as she held on for dear life. He whispered soothing words to her as her sobs filled the room. His eyes moved from her shaking body to his teacher and classmates.
He watched as they all flinched away from the heated glare he sent to them all. He was sure that his eyes were filled with the hatred that he held for every single one of them. He knew everything. He knew about her father and about Finn. He also knew that not one of them had been there for her. He knew that they'd teased her and pushed her into becoming the girl who was currently breaking in his lap. His eyes moved over each one of them slowly and he felt satisfaction every time one of them turned away from him in shame or fear. His eyes landed on Finn and he hoped that the boy understood that he was fucking dead if ever so much as thought about Rachel again. He skipped over Santana completely and he heard her whimper at the rejection. The two of them had been close, but he would choose Rachel. Every. Damn. Time.
Finally his gaze fell upon the teacher who deserved nothing, the one he hated most of all. The man was supposed to be a teacher for God's sake. If he was even a fraction of a man he would have done something for Rachel. The guilt was evident as he turned away from Puck in shame.
Disgusted with the people in front of him, he turned his attention to the only person worth having it. He cupped her face and removed it from his shoulder, forcing her to look into his eyes. Her eyes were bloodshot and broken and he wanted to rip every one of those assholes apart.
"I'm here. I'm not going anywhere, I promise," He whispered and he saw in her eyes that she believed him. "You will be whole again Rach."
He gently removed her from his lap and stood. He pulled her back into his arms and faced the Glee club.
"We quit. You're a bunch of pathetic, worthless pricks. I promise that every single one of you will have a slushy thrown in your miserable faces every single day for the rest of your high school experiences. Look what you fucking did to her." He gestured furiously towards the broken girl in his arms before turning to the teacher. "I'll have your job for this Schuester, that's a promise. You might actually be worse than all of them. They're teenagers. Horrible, selfish, cruel teenagers. You're an adult and as soon as I talk to Figgins, you'll just be another unemployed asshole. Every single one of you can go to hell."
He turned towards the door and draped his arm around Rachel's shoulders. Leading her out of that classroom for the last time with the promise that she'd be happy again. She believed him.
Angsty, but it felt kind of true to how things were in Junior Year. Let me know what you think please. Thanks!