Hey guys, I'm sorry I haven't updated in so long! I've been really busy lately and kinda had writers block and I've been really busy. Starting volleyball practice, going out of state next week to see my sister, and just been really busy lol.

But I hope you enjoy this chapter (:

Also, thoughts are going to be in italics.

As Quinn drove away heading for the airport Rachel felt a rush of guilt and worry wash over her.

What if Jesse wasn't happy to see her? What if he had a girlfriend? What was going to happen to her when she got back to Lima? What were her fathers going to do? She had already had six missed calls on her cell phone from them in the fifteen minutes she was gone.

"Don't worry, Rach. Everything will work out, you'll see." Quinn said smugly seeing the worried look on Rachel's face.

They made it to the airport in a half hour and Quinn dropped Rachel off at the door and got out to give her a hug.

"Thanks for this Quinn, I really appreciate it." Rachel whispered into Quinn's ear.

"No problem. Call me when you land, okay? And after you see Jess." She said and Rachel promised she would before walking into the airport.

She had a plane delay so she was late leaving and it didn't actually take off until 2:00.

…

Her plane landed in six hours and she walked off the plane, immediately turning her phone on and calling Quinn letting her know she was there safely and on her way to UCLA.

She walked outside and was taken in with the warm air; it was just starting to get cold in Lima, the beginning of fall, leaves changing color. But here, it felt like the middle of summer.

She waved down a taxi and got in.

"I need you to take me to UCLA, please." She told the cab driver who immediately sped off.

She pulled out her phone and decided to text her fathers that she was okay.

Dad and Daddy,

I'm here and I'm okay, please don't be angry with me. I know what I'm doing. I'll be home soon.

Love Rachel

She sent the message, she had decided not to call them so she didn't get screamed at over the phone, he fathers didn't usually like to yell as opposed to calm talking and reasoning, but she had a feeling that skipping the border, even if it was only the Ohio state border, was reason enough for them to yell.

Before she arrived at the school she asked the cab driver if he could take a little detour for something to eat.

It had taken her longer to pick a place to eat, she was mostly just stalling but she bought the cab driver dinner too so he didn't seem to mind.

They finished their dinner and got back on the road, heading towards UCLA.

She arrived at the school and got out of the cab, giving him thirty dollars for the trip.

She breathed in the warm California before entering the main building.

She walked in and saw a man standing there that looked the same age as Jesse so she decided to go over and see if he knew him.

"Excuse me," She began putting her, I am Rachel Barbara Berry face on. "Do you happen to know Jesse St James?"

"Ohh! Jesse's my boy!" He said loudly, sounding intoxicated. "How do you know him?" He finished, his words slurring.

I closed my eyes before muttering out, "Old friend."

He was satisfied with the answer, "He's in that building over there," He said pointing out the window, "Room 22, on the 5th floor."

I smiled widely at him and he returned the gesture, "Thank you very much….?" I began realizing I didn't even know his name.

He caught onto my dilemma and said, "John."

"John." I repeated shaking his hand before walking out. He waved as I turned outside the door and I waved back to him before making my way to Jesse's dorm.

…..

Jesse's room was easy to find, thanks to John's directions. I finished climbing the fifth flight of stairs and walked down the hall, searching for the door with a 22 on it.

The hallway was vacant, it was about 11:30 pm. She hoped Jesse wasn't already asleep.

She reached the door with the number 22 on it set down her bag on the floor next to her.

Rachel took a deep breath and raised her hand to knock on the door.

Her hand was inches away from the door before she lowered it quickly and turned around prepared to leave. She forgot her suitcase was sitting there and as she tried to run away from Jesse's door she tripped and started falling towards the ground.

She let out and high pitched scream and crashed onto the ground.

"Ow." She said quietly laying there with no more will power left to get up, that was until she heard the door open.

"Oh my god, are you okay?" She heard Jesse's voice and turned over from off the ground to see him kneeling down next to her shirtless and in a pair of athletic shorts. "Rachel?"

"Uhh, hi Jesse." I said trying to get up, wishing I hadn't done this in the first place.

"Rachel what are you doing here?" He asked quietly, grabbing her hand pulling her off the ground, looking at her with a confused look on his face.

"I-I-I-I came to see you." She replied, just as quietly. He wiped his hand over his face, she had woken him up, but Rachel took this gesture as annoyance, "I'm sorry, I shouldn't have come, I'll just go." She said picking her bag up and fumbling with her things until Jesse put his hand on her shoulder.

"Rachel, don't be like that. I just wasn't expecting you, but you came all this way and I'm not just going to let you turn around leave." He said and she nodded and entered his dorm room.

He turned the light on and she looked around, setting her suitcase down.

His room had one bed in it, right next to the window in the corner. His desk was on the wall, right next to the door. The closet was in the other corner.

She saw a few pictures tacked up on the board over his desk. All of pictures were Vocal Adrenaline with their trophy after four Regional wins, except one. The other picture was of Rachel and Jesse. She had taken it during the Wiggles concert they went to after they had started dating.

Rachel noticed this picture almost immediately. I had this picture in my room….but I didn't know where it went. The last time he was in my room was when he put the tape from Shelby in. Did he know that was the last time he'd be in my room?

He shut the door and walked in, feeling the awkwardness between them, but he couldn't take his eyes off of her. He watched her as she wandered aimlessly around the room. Why am I so worried about her opinion? It's just a dorm room. Why do I care what she thinks about it?

"One bed?" She asked, breaking the silence in the room and snapping him back into reality.

"My father pulled some strings and got me a single room." He answered.

"Oh, that's nice." She replied, increasing the awkwardness.

"Rachel, why are you here?" He asked, with sincerity in his voice.

She turned around so she wasn't looking at him any longer.

"I'm sorry Jesse but I'm very tired. Can we talk in the morning?" She replied to him, trying to avoid the question as much as possible.

He sighed. "Okay Rachel. But we will talk in the morning." She nodded to him. "You can have the bed, I'll sleep on the floor."
"Thank you." She whispered back to him sitting on the bed and crawling under the covers.

"Can you hand me that pillow?" He asked and she obliged. He picked up a blanket off the bed and set them down on the floor. He walked back towards the door to turn the light off but before he did Rachel spoke.
"Jesse?" She began and he raised his eyebrows at her, "Can you do me a favor?" She asked.

"What?" He answered.

"Can you go into my suitcase and get the bottle of Advil, my head hurts." She asked him and he nodded walking over to her suitcase.

He unzipped it and was surprised to see a lacy, suggestive piece of black lingerie on the very top. He pulled it out, I'm going to have some fun with her, and held it out turning towards her.

"Umm, Rachel?" He asked and she sat up and opened her eyes, which immediately showed panic. Shit! I forgot about that, how am I going to get out this?

"What's this for?" He finished with a smirk.

"I-I-I," Was all she could stutter out.

"Were you hoping something was going to happen?" He asked with that smirk still on his face.

"No! Of course not!" She said her face turning red and he raised his eyebrows out her, but didn't say anything.

He put the lingerie back in the suitcase, just the way he found it and pulled out the bottle of Advil and gave her a bottle of water along with it.

"Thanks." She muttered quietly, still red over what happened moments ago.

He turned the lights off and laid down on the floor but didn't close his eyes, just stared at the ceiling, the same thing Rachel was doing. Time passed and he thought Rachel was asleep until he heard her speak.

"Jesse?" She muttered quietly, but he didn't answer. She sighed. "I love you." She whispered quietly, thinking he was asleep.

"Rachel?" He began to speak in the darkness, "I don't think we can wait till the morning."